This match sparkled with end to end action from start to finish.
Saints dominated the first period and deserved their interval lead. But the second half belonged almost totally to Ross County who on balance deserved to go home with a victory under their belt rather than a draw.
Early on, Saints were almost caught napping as a Sean Higgins header dropped just over the bar.
Saints pulled ahead in the seventh minute after Lee Hardy's long lob forward was stolen by striker Peter MacDonald from the feet of central defender Jim Lauchlan.
The Saints striker scored from ten yards.
Three minutes later more confusion in the middle of County's defence saw Michael Moore almost snatch the ball from the hands of keeper Stuart Garden.
In the 27th minute Hardy threw in a teasing cross which was expertly trapped on the chest by Ryan McCann before the midfielder volleyed for goal. Garden pulled off a stupendous save to keep his side in touch.
County went close when Don Cowie's 15-yard effort in the 29th minute was saved by Allan McGregor.
The second half was barely 30 seconds old when County pulled themselves level through Higgins.
David Winters cruised past Kevin Rutkiewicz before chipping in a tidy pass to Higgins and his acrobatic effort looped over McGregor and in to the home net.
County scorned a multitude of second-half chances and were unlucky to see John Robertson's 65th minute 'goal' chalked off for an earlier handball.