It was a tale of two on-song strikers in Perth as Graham Cummins of St Johnstone and Ross County's Craig Curran both took their tallies to three Premiership goals for the season in an evenly-matched encounter.

The hosts were worthy of their interval lead, given to them by Englishman Curran. However, Saints rallied well after the break and deserved the point they earned courtesy of an equaliser from Cummins, their summer signing from Exeter City. The result means the Perth side are still waiting for their first win of the season, but manager Tommy Wright was encouraged by what he saw.  

"It was another good fightback but I wish we didn't keep giving the opposition a goal of a start," he said. "We showed a lot of character to come back and either side could have won it in the end. I am happy with how we played."

Cummins had been handed his first start after scoring as a substitute in each of Saints' two previous league games, and the the Irishman almost added to his tally when he headed narrowly over from a Liam Craig in the ninth minute. The same pair then combined again a minute later when Craig's cross from the left was hooked towards goal on the half-volley by Cummins, from seven yards out, only for Scott Fox to get down and make a fine save.

County had looked the livelier side, though, and they opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Curran, who had netted twice in Saturday's win over Hamilton Accies, ran on to a through ball from Liam Boyce and kept his cool to slot beyond the exposed Alan Mannus from just inside the box. 

Rafa De Vita went agonisingly close to increasing County's advantage in the 38th minute when he met a Michael Gardyne cross six yards out, but Brad McKay got in just enough of a challenge to divert the ball wide of the post. The Dingwall side threatened again four minutes before the interval when Ian McShane saw a low shot from the edge of the box saved by Mannus after a purposeful flowing build-up involving Boyce and Curran.

Saints thought they had levelled in the 51st minute when O'Halloran sprinted down the right flank and cut the ball back for Cummins, but the striker's close-range attempt took the slightest nick of Chris Robertson and came back off the inside of the post. He wasn't to be denied for long, however. Just a minute later, the striker seized on a loose ball in the box after more good work by O'Halloran and drilled in a low angled shot on the turn from eight yards out.

County had a decent opportunity to restore their lead in the 66th minute after Mannus flapped at a long free-kick delivery from Marcus Fraser, but De Vita sliced his half-volley wide of the target from a good position just inside the box.

"In terms of the first half chances we should have been more ahead," said County manager Jim McIntyre. "We had St Johnstone under a lot of pressure but in the second half, they started a lot better and had us under a lot of pressure. Credit to both sides as we both tried to win the game."

Report by Anthony Brown