Sunday 10 April 2016 18:15, UK
Alex Schalk scored the only goal as Ross County beat Partick Thistle 1-0 to make certain of a top-half finish in the Scottish Premiership table.
The slender victory at Dingwall moved the hosts two spots up the table, having started the day in eighth, while condemning Thistle and Dundee to play out the remainder of the campaign in the bottom half.
After a quiet opening period, the game sprung to life on 14 when Brian Graham fed Schalk who located the bottom right-hand corner of the net from outside the area.
And that was the way it remained, although Thistle threatened briefly at the start of the second half: First, Mathias Pogba's header forced a good save out of keeper Scott Fox, while Ryan Edwards nodded narrowly wide shortly afterwards.
With Dundee losing at Hamilton, Thistle could have snatched a top-six spot had they levelled matters but it was not to be.
Meanwhile, at New Douglas Park, Hamilton beat Dundee 2-1 to register their first home win in six months.
The hosts enjoyed the better of the early stages with Eammon Brophy forcing a decent save out of Scott Bain.
And the Accies duly took the lead after half-an-hour thanks to an Ali Crawford volley which became 2-0 four minutes before half-time.
After Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia had fouled Brophy in the box, Jesus Garcia Tena comfortably doubled the margin from the spot.
Crawford came close to grabbing his second on the stroke of half-time when his downward header was superbly saved by Bain.
However, the Dark Blues did reduce the deficit on 63 through Gary Harkins who collected Kane Hemmings's pass before clipping the ball over keeper Michael McGovern.
It was a much needed win for Hamilton who could still slip into the relegation play-offs, while Dundee must contest their final five games knowing seventh spot is the highest they can finish this season.
At Rugby Park, Kilmarnock claimed their first victory under Lee Clark to boost their chances of avoiding automatic relegation, as Kris Boyd played a starring role in their 3-0 drubbing of St Johnstone.
The struggling hosts started well and came close to breaking the deadlock on 23 when a Boyd header struck a post.
However, the same player did find the back of the net two minutes later when he blasted home a 20-yard free-kick following a foul on Greg Kiltie.
It was only Killie's second league goal in more than 500 minutes and they continued to create chances after the break with Josh Magennis heading onto the top netting.
The same player tested keeper Alan Mannus before Kilmarnock grabbed a deserved second goal 20 minutes into the second half via a close range Kallum Higginbotham header at the far post, following a cross by Magennis.
As Saints tried to reduce the deficit, Chris Millar's 22-yard strike was well saved by keeper Jamie MacDonald.
But Killie made certain of the points two minutes from time as Boyd netted his second of the afternoon from the penalty spot, after Joe Shaughnessy had fouled Rory McKenzie.
Although they remain in the relegation play-off spot, Kilmarnock are now eight points clear of bottom club Dundee United.
And at Tannadice, Dundee United suffered a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Inverness as their hopes of mounting an unlikely survival bid suffered another hit. .
Some dreadful defending enabled the visitors to take the lead on 13 when Miles Storey tapped in from close range.
However, United could have hit back immediately had Gavin Gunning's header, from inside the box, been on target. At the other end Ross Draper and Gary Warren both tested United keeper Eiji Kawashima.
As Caley Thistle continued to create openings, Storey missed an excellent chance to double the margin just before the break.
Yet it was 2-0 five minutes into the second half when, following a corner, the ball fell kindly to Iain Vigurs on the edge of the box and the midfielder smashed it into the bottom right-hand corner.
Kyle Knoyle should have reduced the deficit but, from just a few yards out, his shot was blocked by keeper Owain Fon Williams.
The result leaves United eight points adrift of 11th-placed Kilmarnock with five matches remaining.
