Ross County moved five points clear at the top of League One with a 4-1 victory over Peterhead.

A first half goal from Brian Graham, his 20th of the campaign so far, was added to after the interval by Chris Hamilton.

Peterhead did pull one back through Mitch Megginson, but the Staggies pulled clear again late on through Richard Chin and a Kieran Phillips spot kick to make sure of the victory.

It was fairly even going in the early stages, with both sides getting into the final third without really testing the opposing goalkeeper.

County had tried a couple of times to break forward on the counter attack from Peterhead set-pieces, and it very nearly came off for them in the 21st minute when Nick Suman’s long ball forward sent Kieran Phillips through one-on-one.

Slowed slightly by taking the ball under control, the forward had to cut back inside past one marker, before Blue Toon keeper Jack Newman was quick off his line to smother the attempted shot.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 35th minute, and it was a set-piece of the Staggies’ own that made the difference.

Josh Reid took an in-swinger from the right-hand side, and it was County captain Brian Graham who rose highest to head down and into the net for his 20th goal of the season across all competitions.

Reid very nearly set up another goal in the 43rd minute, this time crossing for the left and picking out Phillips, who showed his agility to fashion a volley for himself that only went inches wide of the mark.

In the second half, a flash point early on at a Peterhead corner resulted in both Connor Randall and Danny Strachan being shown yellow cards.

As far as sights of goal go though, it was Chin who continued to pose a threat for the Staggies, showing expert control with his chest to take down a long diagonal before blazing a shot just past the woodwork at Newman’s near post.

Chin was then fouled right on the edge of the box a minute later, with Reid sending the dead ball into the back post.

There, Akil Wright nodded it back into a dangerous area, and though Graham and Wright each saw subsequent volleys blocked, Chris Hamilton kept a cool head to find the bottom corner and make it 2-0 to the hosts.

Peterhead did get one back in the 65th minute, with Strachan making a vial interception on the edge of his own box and charging all the way to the edge of the County area, where he passed to Mitch Megginson to pick out the top corner.

County pulled two goals clear once again in the 73rd minute though. A well-worked move down the right wing led to a bit of a scramble around the six-yard box, but eventually the ball fell kindly for Richard Chin to fire home at close range.

The Staggies continued to create chances, with substitute Adam Emslie taking aim and going only just wide of the mark.

They were awarded a penalty in the 86th minute too when Strachan was penalised for a high foot on Dylan Smith, and Phillips stepped up and just about squeezed his effort past Newman to make it 4-1.

With top of the table rivals Hamilton suffering a surprise 4-0 defeat at Cove Rangers, it opens up a five-point gap at the League One summit in favour of Stuart Kettlewell’s side.