St Mirren are a top six team for the third season on the bounce after a dramatic finale before the split.
Stephen Robinson's men had to come from behind, but did their bit thanks to goals from Caolan Boyd-Munce, Jonah Ayunga and Roland Idowu. Hearts' failure to win away to Motherwell saw the Saints take the final top six spot in the William Hill Premiership.
After a fairly uneventful opening 20 minutes, it was the visitors who would hit the front. Jordan White's initial effort was scrambled off the line before Zach Hemming brilliantly blocked the follow-up from Joshua Nisbet. But it would then fall to Ronan Hale who lashed into the net.
Hale was close to adding his County's second five minutes later. The striker managed to in behind Alex Gogic and forced a good save from Hemming at the near post. Hemming was alert again on 35 minutes when he got down low to save a long-range effort from Noah Kenneh.
Saints had struggled to get going but found inspiration from a wonderful long-range strike from Boyd-Munce to draw us level on 36 minutes. It was the midfielder's fourth goal in four games and he almost did it again from similar range just before the interval only for Ross County goalkeeper Jordan Amissah to push away.
The Buddies started the second-half with the bit between their teeth and went ahead five minutes after the restart when Ayunga netted his first goal since October. The forward reached a wonderful inch perfect pass from Boyd-Munce and while he couldn't force by Amissah at first attempt, he managed to fire home to put Saints in pole position for top six.
But the drama wouldn't end there as Ross County drew level just after the hour. A Zach Ashworth corner found Jordan White at the far post and the striker headed into the net to make it 2-2 despite the best efforts of Boyd-Munce to try and keep it out.
The manager made two substitutions with around 10 minutes to go when Idowu and Conor McMenamin were introduced in place of Mark O'Hara and Ryan Alebiosu. The substitutes combined within three minutes of their introduction when McMenamin's cross picked out Idowu, but the Irishman agonisingly headed over from close-range. Idowu would prove to be the hero however as he fired home the winner on 86 minutes. The forward found McMenamin's pass and worked well to fashion the space before angling a low drive beyond Amissah from 20 yards.
News filtered through of Hearts' 0-0 draw away to Motherwell to rapturous celebration at The SMiSA Stadium and that was topped when referee Calum Scott blew the full-time whistle to confirm Saints' place in the top six for the third season in a row.
Full-Time: St Mirren 3-2 Ross County
St Mirren: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor, Alebiosu (McMenamin 81), Phillips, Boyd-Munce, O'Hara (Idowu 81), John (Tanser 90), Olusanya (Mandron 55), Ayunga (Iacovitti 90)
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Smyth, Kiltie, Oseni
Ross County: Amissah, Wright, Lopata, Campbell, Brown (Smith 81), Randall, Kenneh (Allardice 89), Ashworth, Nisbet (Samuel 60), White, Hale (Phillips 80)
Subs Not Used: Laidlaw, Tomkinson, Grieves, Harmon, Efete
Referee: Calum Scott
Assistant Referee: Calum Spence
Assistant Referee: Craig Ferguson
Fourth Official: Colin Steven
VAR: Nick Walsh
Attendance: 6,318
