THE good news for Ross County is the team bottom on Hogmanay has survived in each of the last two seasons. The bad news is they failed to do so when last in such dire straits themselves.
That was a very different team in a very different time, and, given the chances squandered by Malky Mackay’s Staggies, tonight could so easily have had a very different outcome. No fatal blows were landed at Tannadice, but Connor Randall’s own goal, the returning Charlie Mulgrew’s header and a late Craig Sibbald stunner left County with it all to do come 2023.
While the defensive frailties remain, this was more like it from United in patches, and enough to drag them a point ahead of their relegation rivals.