Jordy Hiwula's header helps Ross County past Dunfermline as Staggies close gap on Premier Sports Cup group leaders
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Ross County 1 (Hiwula)
Dunfermline 0
Ross County took a big step towards qualification for the Premier Sports Cup second round with a narrow 1–0 win over group leaders Dunfermline Athletic.
There were spells where the Pars' greater match sharpness showed, but Jordy Hiwula's goal shortly after the hour mark proved to be the difference between the sides.
Ross Laidlaw may have been the busier of the two goalkeepers, but the Staggies will be focusing on moving within a point of the top of the group – and the automatic qualification spot that comes with it.
A quiet first half saw County dominate possession for large spells, but the visitors have the clearest sights of goal.
The Staggies looked to try and unleash widemen Owura Edwards and Josh Sims into space on multiple occasions, only to be stopped by the Pars' full backs.
It took, then, until a little over 10 minutes before half time before a goalkeeper was tested, and Josh McPake will feel his side should have taken the lead.
Dunfermline did well to keep the ball alive after a free kick cannoned back off the wall, and it fell to Chris Hamilton to put a cross into the middle, where Lewis McCann forced Ross Laidlaw to dive to his right to keep the header out.
That was not the end of the chance, though, as Craig Wighton followed up with the goal at his mercy, only to skew his effort high and wide.
Paul Allan would have another opportunity to give the visitors the lead before the break, capping off a nice passing move that built from the back with a shot from around 25 yards out, but it flew straight into Laidlaw's hands.
County's keeper continued to be the busier of the two number ones after the restart, albeit through collecting crossed more than dealing with shots at goal.
However, after the hour mark Ben Paton twice tested Deniz Mehmet – first with a looping shot form distance that the keeper held on to, and then with an effort from the corner of the box that was tipped around the post.
From the resultant corner, the Staggies took the lead. Dunfermline were never able to clear their lines, and Hiwula met one of the crosses back into the middle with a header that curled into the far corner, beyond the reach of both Mehmet and black and white shirts on the line.
Dunfermline nearly hit back within minutes, as a corner of their own was directed goalwards by Craig Wighton, who will have thought he had beaten Laidlaw only for his header to bounce back off the crossbar before County's defenders scrambled to clear.
That was as close as the Pars would come to an equaliser, though, as County managed to hold on for a valuable three points in their bid to qualify for the Premier Sports Cup knockout stages.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Purrington, Iacovitti, Edwards (Olaigbe 60), Callachan, Dhanda (Samuel 60), Sims (Cancola 73), Watson, Hiwula (Loturi 81), Paton (White 73).
Subs not used: Eastwood, Baldwin, Johnson, Tillson.
Dunfermline: Mehmet, Comrie, Edwards, Benedictus (MacDonald 86), Hamilton (Chalmers 77), O'Hara (Todorov 65), Wighton, Breen, McCann, Allan, Todd.
Subs not used: Archibald, Fenton, Rennie, Beagley, Young, Tod.
