A VAR-awarded penalty with virtually the last kick of the game denies the Lions a deserved win as attention now turns to Dingwall on Monday night.

Ronan Hale’s 96th-minute penalty gave Ross County an unlikely lifeline in the Scottish Premiership play-off final as they snatched a dramatic draw against second tier Livingston.

The striker smashed in a brilliant penalty under pressure after Danny Wilson, Livingston’s earlier hero when he forced in from close range, was spotted pulling Jordan White’s jersey by the video assistant referee Andrew Dallas.

When the final whistle went, tempers flared as County coaching staff were pulled into a confrontation when a home fan was seen gesturing and shouting at them from behind the dugout, with the Highland club’s chief executive Steven Ferguson claiming one of the staff was spat at.

But in the end the overriding emotion for the Premiership side was relief, having snatched a draw despite being outplayed for most of the game.

Wilson had emerged from a stramash in the box with enough space to smash a left-footed strike past Jordan Amissah in first-half stoppage time to give Livi the lead.

David Martindale’s side had the better of the chances and showed the same toughness, intensity, and clever play which kept them in the top flight against the odds for five years before last season’s relegation.

Robbie Muirhead missed two good opportunities to make the night more comfortable before the return leg in Dingwall on Monday.

The best of them was a cross to the back post which he ought to have headed on target, but opted to control with his body before slicing a shot into the stands.

County, the lowest scorers in the Premiership this season, again struggled to create quality scoring chances.

However, it did take a brilliant save from Livingston goalkeeper Jerome Prior to stop Will Nightingale heading them in front after just eight minutes.

But some late pressure paid off as Wilson was spied holding White as the ball came into the box, and Hale smashed home to claim a vital draw.

Livingston manager David Martindale: “I’ve not missed VAR, put it that way. It was a wee bit soft. With VAR you’re going to give the referee a decision. I’ll take it on the chin. The boys gave it everything. The game was very direct at times. They came and pressed us and I thought we could’ve been braver in their press. The final third, I think we’ve got to take a wee bit more care.”

Match report: Thomas Duncan

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