Ronan Hale’s controversial stoppage-time penalty kept alive Ross County’s hopes of avoiding the relegation play-offs as they drew 1-1 at fellow strugglers Dundee.

The Dark Blues took the lead in the second half through Scott Tiffoney and seemed on course to secure their William Hill Premiership status.

But deep in added time Hale salvaged a point for the Staggies from the spot after Ryan Astley headed the ball on to Antonio Portales’ arm.

With just two points separating the sides, it will go right down to the wire this Sunday to determine who will be in the relegation play-offs.

The hosts made two changes to the team that lost to Kilmarnock at the weekend with Oluwaseun Adewumi coming in for Scott Tiffoney while Clark Robertson replaced Aaron Donnelly in defence.

The visitors made three alterations to the side that was beaten by St Johnstone on Saturday with Eli Campbell, Michee Efete and Noah Kenneth being drafted in for Kieran Philips, George Harmon and Zac Ashworth, who was suspended after his red card in the Saints game.

Dundee had a great chance in the 22nd minute when Simon Murray latched on to a slack backpass from Akil Wright and tried a lofted shot from a tight angle that was cleared off his line by Kacper Lopata.

The Staggies produced an instant response and came close to taking the lead when Hale embarked on a great run before hitting a shot from the edge of the Dundee box that was deflected on to the crossbar and over.

The Highland side’s tails were up and they had another two quickfire chances with Wright sending a free header over before Alex Samuel’s low shot was easily gathered by home goalkeeper Trevor Carson.

Adewumi then found Seb Palmer-Houlden with a superb crossfield pass and the striker hit a shot from 22 yards that keeper Jordan Amissah acrobatically turned away for a corner.

Tension continued to mount at the start of the second half but the deadlock was finally broken in the 55th minute. Cameron played a superb pass into the feet of Tiffoney down the left and he broke into the County box and kept his cool to calmly shoot past Amissah.

The keeper then came to his side’s rescue, making two stunning stops in quick succession from a Palmer-Houlden shot and a Joe Shaughnessy header.

The Staggies then squandered a huge chance to equalise when Samuel teed up Hale but with the goal at his mercy, blasted well wide.

However, the striker made amends in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Referee Nick Walsh controversially awarded County a penalty when Astley headed on to Portales’ arm, with the decision rubber-stamped by VAR.

Hale stepped up to take the spot-kick and he made no mistake, sending Carson the wrong way to end any fears of automatic relegation and boost his side’s hopes of avoiding the play-offs.

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