Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

Alex Schalk netted a hat-trick as Ross County thrashed Partick Thistle to move off bottom spot in the Premiership.

Schalk fired home the opening goal, then midfielder Ross Draper headed in a second before the break.

The Dutch striker slotted County's third on 56 minutes from Scott Fox's long ball and added a fourth with 28 minutes remaining.

The win is County's first in six matches and sends Thistle to the foot of the table on goal difference.

Alan Archibald's men are now without a victory in nine outings, and have a goal difference 11 inferior to that of the Staggies.

Schalk's treble took his tally for the season to 13 goals, and the former NAC Breda player continues to be the County talisman as the striker who scored their winner against Hibernian in the 2016 League Cup final sparked this vital triumph in their biggest game of the season so far.

Not that things get any easier for the Dingwall side - they host Neil Lennon's Hibs in the final game before the league split on Saturday - but it will be just as tough for Thistle, who welcome in-form Kilmarnock to Firhill on the same day.

It was the visitors who had the first clear chance, Conor Sammon's shot from four yards deflected wide by goalkeeper Scott Fox.

Ross Draper, formerly of Inverness CT, found the net for the first time in the colours of rivals Ross County

County's best opportunities initially came from set-pieces but Harry Souttar failed to direct a close-range header on target from a Schalk corner, and Draper did likewise from Michael Gardyne's well-directed free-kick.

It was Schalk who produced a flourish of skill incongruous with the 35 fiercely-contested minutes that preceded his opener.

There seemed little danger when he picked up possession at the edge of the area but he cleverly worked some space for a shot that sped into the bottom-right corner of Ryan Scully's net.

The Jags goalkeeper, in from the start with Tomas Cerny injured, couldn't be faulted for that one but he has to shoulder the responsibility for the second strike four minutes from the interval.

Scully came out to intercept Schalk's corner from the left but missed the ball, allowing Draper to net his first goal for the club with an angled header.

Archibald introduced Chris Erskine and Blair Spittal for Ryan Edwards and Miles Storey at the break in a bid to spark a second-half revival, but it was Schalk who continued to dominate proceedings.

Schalk's composed finished put County three goals ahead

The little striker had a goal disallowed for offside before bursting clear up the inside-left channel and flashing his shot into the far corner of the net.

Schalk completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute when Scully denied Marcus Fraser, but the rebound struck the Dutchman's thigh and flew high into the net.

It was County's biggest win of the season - in both margin of victory and significance - and their first since 4 November.