Ross County relegated after Livingston produce superb comeback to gain promotion

Livingston fought back from two-goals down to beat Ross County 5-3 on aggregate and gain promotion to the Scottish Premiership.

The play-off had been in the balance going into the second leg in Dingwall after a 1-1 draw in West Lothian last Thursday.

Goals from Josh Nisbet and Ronan Hale had appeared to put Ross County in the driving seat as they looked to avoid relegation to the Championship by winning the play-off for a third successive year.

But they were consigned to the second tier as Lewis Smith, Danny Wilson, Robbie Muirhead and Tete Yengi all scored to secure Livi a 4-2 second-leg win that clinched their place back in the Premiership.

County opened the night’s scoring in the seventh minute. Hale was slipped through on the left channel by Nohan Kenneh. He could have shot from a tight angle, but instead he decided to square it for Nisbet, who was left with a simple finish.

Generally when going behind this season Livingston have responded well, and within minutes both skipper Jamie Brandon and Scott Pittman had sights of goal, only to miss the target.

But Hale – who scored County’s stoppage-time penalty to earn a draw in the first leg – made it 2-0 on the night in the 24th minute. Former County player Stephen Kelly was caught in possession by the striker, who coolly finished past Jerome Prior to double the Staggies’ lead.

The visitors pulled one back six minutes before the break through a spectacular solo effort from Lewis Smith, who ran 40 yards before drilling the ball into the bottom corner from a tight angle to make it 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate.

Five minutes after the interval, Nisbet tried taking aim from a similar position to where Smith scored from, but pulled his effort slightly wide.

However, Livingston levelled the tie in the 57th minute, despite heroics from Jordan Amissah.

First the goalkeeper made a save from Muirhead’s free-kick that went under the wall, before making a phenomenal reaction save to prevent Wilson, before the defender eventually nodded in at the second time of asking to make it 3-3 on aggregate.

Just four minutes later, Muirhead completed a stunning turnaround when he picked out the top corner with a brilliant effort from the corner of the box to put Livingston ahead in the tie.

County needed a goal to avoid relegation but in the closing seconds of six minutes of added time the visitors put the tie beyond doubt as Yengi broke clear and fired into the top corner in front of the delirious Livingston fans.