Dunfermline stormed to the top of the first division in remarkable style, leaving it until the third minute of stoppage time before grabbing the winner at Victoria Park.
Graham almost made an immediate impact, running through the centre of the home defence after being found by Liam Buchanan but McGovern was out of his goal quickly to gather.
With 74 minutes on the clock, there was a scare for the Fifers when keeper Chris Smith dropped a Marc Fitzpatrick cross at the feet of Michael Gardyne but the County man’s shot was deflected away to safety.
Hyde made his Dunfermline debut five minutes later, coming on for Burke, then the Pars made it three up front when Pat Clarke joined him in attack after replacing Buchanan.
The hosts should have taken the lead with just four minutes remaining, with sub Gary Wood racing down the right before picking out the unmarked Barrowman.
He had time and space but Pars goalie Smith did well to smother his shot. Dunfermline almost sneaked victory, with a sweeping move ending with Clarke steering the ball past the far post.
However, they grabbed the three points in the most dramatic fashion. A great run by skipper Austin McCann up the right was ended illegally. Cardle took the free-kick as the clock ticked into the third minute of stoppage time and Hardie nodded home from close range.
Disappointed County gaffer Jimmy Calderwood said, “I don’t think we deserved to win but we didn’t deserve to lose either. A draw would have been a fairer result.”
Attendance-2059.
Ross County-McGovern, Miller, Fitzpatrick, Lawson, Boyd, Flynn, Milne, Vigurs (Kettlewell 64), Barrowman, Brittain, Gardyne (Wood 84). Subs not used-Malin, Marr, Di Giacomo.
Dunfermline-Smith, Dowie, McCann, Mason, Rutkiewicz, Keddie, McDougall (Graham 65), Burke (Hyde 77), Buchanan (Clarke 83), Hardie, Cardle. Subs not used-Paterson, Higgins.Referee-David Somers.
With an otherwise uneventful game seemingly heading for a goalless draw, up popped marvellous Martin Hardie to head a Joe Cardle free-kick into the Ross County net.
That most crucial of counters sent the Pars two points ahead of Raith Rovers in this fascinating promotion race. An added bonus was the inability of Falkirk to beat Cowdenbeath, making it a great night for Jim McIntyre’s men.
“At least we never left any time for the opposition to come back,” said McIntyre. “We got a free-kick and big Hardie was wanting to take it until he was told to get in the box.
“I am really proud of the players and they just kept going. We are top now but we can only try and win our games that’s all we are focused on. We just have to take care of ourselves and not worry about others.”
The big surprise in the Pars’ squad was the listing of former Dundee trialist Jake Hyde as a substitute. Hyde, who was in the unusual position of signing for junior club Lochee United but starring for the Dark Blues, was the first division’s in-form frontman, having scored three times in two games for the Dens men.
McIntyre, who has signed Hyde as an amateur until the end of the season, explained, “We don’t know how long Andy Kirk will be out with his back problem, so we needed some cover in attack.”
Back into the Dunfermline starting line-up came Andy Dowie, taking the place of foot injury victim Calum Woods, while Cardle returned to the wing as David Graham dropped down to the bench. In the County team was striker Steven Milne, who at one time was expected to join up at East End Park.
The hosts created the first opportunity of the game, Paul Lawson shooting wide from the edge of the box, then a terrific in-swinging free-kick from Alex Burke on five minutes had the County defenders scrambling to clear.
Milne fired a drive over the Pars’ bar on 24 minutes after being found by Gary Miller’s cross then Hardie had a go at the other end, sending a shot whizzing wide from 35 yards.
Former Dingwall man Alex Keddie picked up the first booking of the night on 35 minutes and it was a soft one, dished out for a foul on Andy Barrowman. County’s Richard Brittain brought the action of a rather uninspiring first period to an end by driving the ball over the bar from 25 yards.
The match needed a spark, but the second half didn’t catch fire until the 62nd minute, when Hardie lobbed the ball from inside his own half and County keeper Michael McGovern was glad to see it fly just over.
Both sides made changes, the Staggies bringing on Stuart Kettlewell for Ian Vigurs and the Pars replacing Steven McDougall with Graham, but it was still stodgy stuff.