Ross County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell insisted the relegated Staggies had paid the price for a poor campaign and said his side must regroup ahead of their return to the Championship.

The Highlanders looked set to clamber off bottom spot at Partick Thistle's expense after Craig Curran's early strike put them in front against St Johnstone.

But Kris Doolan's strike for Thistle, coupled with a late equaliser in Perth by David Wotherspoon, confirmed County's relegation the the second tier.

Kettlewell took over as manager in March alongside Steven Ferguson following Owen Coyle's resignation.

The 33-year-old said the end result reflected a dismal campaign from start to finish.

He said: "It's (relegation) what happens over the course of the season and it's not been good enough from our point of view.

"We have won six games all season and it's not good enough. You will be in this position if you only win six games all season.

"From myself and Steven's point of view, we will 100 per cent take responsibility from our 10 games in charge and we don't start to point fingers at individuals.

"It's about what you do as a football club and that unity builds success and we have to go away and assess that and see how we can move forward."

He added: "Everybody is down and nobody feels good about themselves at the moment.

"The emotion is a bit raw at the minute, it wasn't the scenario we wanted, we knew it was a possibility, but nothing will prepare you for it or make it any better whatever anyone says.

"We will have to take what happened today, go away and regroup and think about how we move forward as a football club.

"It's all going to change a lot in the coming months but, from my point of view, we need to take what happened today."

Saints boss Tommy Wright, whose side finished eighth after the draw, said he held sympathy with his Highland counterparts as their six-year top-flight stay came to an end.

He said: "I knew with the crowd reaction that Partick had scored.

"I have sympathy, nobody likes to see it. Somebody has to be relegated and the unfortunate thing with relegation is I know there will be job losses.

"Maybe it won't affect some players who can find another club, but it's the staff around the club that you have to feel sorry for."