Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

St Johnstone had a penalty saved for the second week in a row as they were held by Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

Tommy Wright's side dominated in Dingwall but could not claim their first league win of the season.

Stevie May missed from the spot before scoring to level after Joe Chalmers had given County the lead.

Matty Kennedy fired Saints ahead but Blair Spittal's free-kick ensured a share of the points.

The draw leaves St Johnstone still searching for their first league win in eight games, while they also missed the chance to move off the bottom of the Premiership following St Mirren's defeat to Motherwell.

Saints out of luck

This was as good as St Johnstone have played all season. Manager Wright had demanded his side put in a 90-minute performance and his team responded. But, what he didn't get was the clinical edge they need to begin moving up the table.

Scott Tanser's missed penalty proved costly last week as Saints went down 1-0 to 10-man Motherwell.

Seven days on their spot-kick woes continued. After Danny Swanson was tripped in the box, May stepped up with the chance to score his first goal for the club since re-joining from Aberdeen, and his first since December. But he gave goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw an easy save to make, putting it low and down the middle.

By that time they were already a goal behind when Chalmers scored from County's first attack, drilling in after Saints struggled to clear Ross Stewart's cross.

But despite Saints' poor run, the heads refused to drop. They dominated the first half, before and after going behind. Seconds after his penalty miss May spurned another chance, firing an effort off a defender. But still Saints dusted themselves down and kept on going.

Just as the world appeared to be against them, they, and May, finally got the goal they craved. Not since 18 August 2018 had he scored from open play, but May cleverly cut across goal, got to Swanson's neat flick, and drove the ball into the far corner.

And they were ahead when Kennedy scored from distance. The ball took a wicked bounce to deceive goalkeeper Laidlaw - finally a stroke of luck in Saints' favour. County also felt play should have been stopped earlier with Billy McKay down on the ground.

But then Spittal produced a moment of magic with a free-kick as he brilliantly curled the ball inside the near post with an effort that gave goalkeeper Zander Clark little chance.

Both sides sensed they could get a winner, though St Johnstone still looked the more likely to find it. Laidlaw saved from Kennedy and Chris Kane as the visitors continued to pile bodies forward.

As the seconds ticked away both fought to gain the last word. County's Josh Mullin's fierce effort was tipped over by Clark, while at the other end Michael O'Halloran drove through the middle and fed the ball to Kane who just had the goalkeeper to beat, but he slipped and stuck his shot over the bar.

Man of the match - Matty Kennedy

BBC Scotland's Eilidh Davies at the Global Energy Stadium

Mathew Kennedy was at the heart of all that was good about St Johnstone. The winger played an effective role for the visitors, producing many menacing runs and also getting himself on the scoresheet.

He scored following a great run from the centre of the park with a long range effort.

He could have scored more but some excellent goal keeping from Ross Laidlaw kept his other efforts out.

'Decisions went against us' - post-match reaction

Ross County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell: "With the decisions that went against us we're quite positive with the point. It keeps our unbeaten run going and keeps the feel good factor about the place.

"The penalty, it's not a penalty."

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright: "The performance was excellent except for the result. We totally dominated the game, we should have got all three points.

"It's still worrying that we've conceded two goals."