Ross County can start planning for a sixth successive Premiership campaign after comfortably overcoming Raith Rovers in their play-off tie.
Following the Staggies’ 2-1 victory in Kirkcaldy on Thursday the tie was well poised, with the first goal always bound to be crucial in the second leg.
The Staggies gained the initiative thanks to Simon Murray, and they extended their lead courtesy of Jordan White’s header early in the second half.
Murray’s 23rd goal of the campaign made sure of the victory, with Brandon Khela adding a fourth in the dying minutes to complete the 6-1 aggregate triumph.
It made for a far more relaxing afternoon than County experienced in the play-offs 12 months ago, when they needed a three-goal comeback and penalties to overcome Partick Thistle.
Although County missed two opportunities to secure automatic survival the previous week, the securing of top-flight football in Dingwall caps an impressive job by interim manager Don Cowie.
Having steadied the ship following Derek Adams’ turbulent and ultimately short-lived third tenure in charge of the club, Cowie will now be handed the permanent reins – an opportunity he is more than meriting of.
Cowie named an unchanged starting line-up for the third match in succession, with Raith tweaking their setup by drafting in Dylan Easton and former Staggie Josh Mullin from the start.
Raith registered the first efforts on target from distance, with Ross Laidlaw comfortable in gathering efforts from Liam Dick and Sam Stanton.
James Brown was first to threaten for the Staggies after cutting in from the right flank, but he trundled his effort wide of Kevin Dabrowski’s near post.
County got the all-important first goal on 19 minutes. Will Nightingale’s deep cross was narrowly missed by Jordan White, but Murray was on hand to nod the ball home at the far post to restore the Staggies’ two-goal cushion.
Short of killing off the tie, the early goal provided the Staggies with welcome breathing space following an evenly-matched start to the game.
Raith responded strongly to the early setback, however the Staggies did well to keep their efforts to find a route back into the game at bay.
County were dealt a blow on 33 minutes when Eli King, who had made an excellent start to the match, pulled up with an injury which he was unable to shake off, with the Welshman replaced by Victor Loturi.
Rovers finished the half strongly, sensing the importance of a goal before the interval. They nearly carved out a far post opening for Dylan Corr who had the goal at his mercy, however last-ditch defending by Ryan Leak thwarted him.
Lewis Vaughan had a better chance on 39 minutes when he attempted to guide an effort towards the near post, with Laidlaw getting down to turn the ball wide.
Dylan Easton was narrowly wide with an attempt from the edge of the area, but the Staggies held firm to their half-time lead.
County knew an early goal in the second half would virtually kill off the tie, and they duly delivered just two minutes in. Yan Dhanda’s corner picked out White, who rose highest to nod the ball home.
The Staggies were in cruise control, with Raith boss Ian Murray introducing attackers Zak Rudden and Callum Smith in a desperate late push.
It was County who looked more likely to add to the scoresheet with Dhanda and White both narrowly off target with efforts from the edge of the box.
Raith worked an opening for Sam Stanton on 67 minutes but skipper Jack Baldwin threw his body in the way of the shot.
County made sure of their victory on 74 minutes when Murray carved out a sight of goal on the edge of the box, before planting a sublime effort into Dabrowski’s bottom-left corner.
Immediately after the goal, Dhanda left the field to be replaced by Brandon Khela, being greeted by a standing ovation from the home crowd on his last outing for the Staggies ahead of his switch to Hearts.
County had to stand firm to protect their clean sheet – their first since December 5 – with Laidlaw making outstanding saves to deny Jack Hamilton and Dylan Easton.
There was still time for the Staggies to add further to the scoresheet, with Khela angling a low drive past Dabrowski to round off a job well done.
The full-time whistle prompted celebrations from the Staggies faithful, following the confirmation that top-flight football will remain in the Highlands.
Player Ratings
ROSS COUNTY (3-4-1-2): Laidlaw 7; Nightingale 7, Baldwin 7, Leak 7; Brown 7 (Efete 87), Randall 7 (Allardice 87), King 6 (Loturi 33), Harmon 7; Dhanda 7 (Khela 76), White 7, Murray 8 (Henderson 87).
Subs not used: Wickens, Sims, Brophy, Reid.
RAITH ROVERS (4-2-3-1): Dabrowski 6; Matthews 5 (Rudden 53), Murray 6, Corr 6, Dick 6; Brown 6, Byrne 6 (Connolly 77); Easton 6, Stanton 6, Mullin 6 (Smith 64); Vaughan 6 (Hamilton 77).
Subs not used: McNeil, Thomson, Brown, McGill, Watson.
Referee: Don Robertson
Attendance: 5,797
Man of the Match: Simon Murray
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