retired_marcias

Wednesday January 14th 2003

Back to the diary entries which I've been somewhat lax with updating in recent months.

League form is still a little dodgy - winning mostly at home, but really struggling away from home. If we can sort out that away form we can challenge. If not, the title is over.

A few matches to report on since I last included one of Hamish's Dingwall Times match reports. I could continue to paste them in here, but while I'm updating my diary I'll bring things up to date myself, but in rather less detail than readers of the Dingwall Times get. After all, Hamish gets paid to wax lyrical about or criticise us, I get paid to get the results rather than report on them.

Since that heavy defeat at Clyde we've played another 3 league games either side of Christmas:

Saturday 20th December
Ross County 1-0 Falkirk (3895 Attendance)
O'Donnell 90

Colin McMenamin missed a penalty for Falkirk in the first half and 0-0 looked on the cards into injury time before we won a freekick on 93 minutes. Substitue Stephen O'Donnell stepped up and curled in a wonderful freekick from 25 yards out to give us all 3 points. Unfortunately Steven has now returned to Dundee United having completed his loan period.

Saturday 26th December
St. Mirren 1-1 Ross County (3118 Attendance)
Twaddle 36.....Hamilton 6

Unusually, a great start for us away from home as big Jim Hamilton powered in a header from 10 yards out from a pinpoint Kevin McCallion cross. Bottom of the table St. Mirren got a deserved equaliser though through Kevin Twaddle and to be honest we were quite fortunate to get away with a point in a game St. Mirren dominated for large parts.

Saturday 3rd January
Ross County 2-0 Queen of the South (3774 Attendance)
O'Donoghue 58
McGuire 76

Back at Victoria Park and with the fans behind us we outplayed Queen of the South for most of this game. It wasn't until the second half that we managed to break the deadlock though - Jim Hamilton firing in a deep cross from the left which David Winters collected, committed the 'keeper and squared across the six yard box for Ross O'Donoghue to tap in. The points were wrapped up on 76 minutes as O'Donoghue's pass deflected off a QoS defender into the path of David McGuire who slotted home neatly. A good performance all in all.

So that was our league form into the New Year. I'll come onto the FA Cup in a second entry and end this one with the current league table:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Holders - Falkirk| Pos | Inf | Team | | Pld | Won | Drn | Lst | For | Ag | G.D. | Pts | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1st | | Ayr | | 20 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 45 | 26 | +19 | 43 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2nd | | St. Johnstone | | 20 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 34 | 19 | +15 | 39 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3rd | | Ross County | | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 42 | 35 | +7 | 36 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 4th | | Raith Rovers | | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 35 | 31 | +4 | 34 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 5th | | Clyde | | 20 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 37 | 32 | +5 | 29 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 6th | | Brechin | | 20 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 46 | 34 | +12 | 28 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 7th | | Falkirk | | 20 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 38 | -9 | 22 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 8th | | Queen of Sth. | | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 37 | -10 | 21 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 9th | | Inverness C. Thistle | | 20 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 39 | -18 | 16 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10th | | St. Mirren | | 20 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 21 | 46 | -25 | 15 | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| </pre>
A very satisfactory first half of the season, but we really need to sort out that away form (just 2 wins, 2 draws and 6 defeats) if we are to challenge Ayr.

[This message was edited by glamdring on 08 February 2004 at 1:12.]

[This message was edited by glamdring on 08 February 2004 at 1:12.]

retired_marcias

Report on Ross County's FA Cup 3rd Round tie vs Hamilton Academical

After our disastrous defeats in the first rounds of both the Challenge Cup and the League Cup, the FA Cup provides our final chance of any kind of cup run this season. The draw has been favourable to us, pitting us against Division 2 side Hamilton who won an away replay with Alloa for the right to come to Victoria Park.

Saturday 10th January 2004
Ross County vs Hamilton
Scottish FA Cup 3rd Round

A truly shocking start by County sees Hamilton take a surprise lead after just 6 minutes through Stevie Convery. 11 minutes later and the County defence is at sixes and sevens as Brian Carrigan's persistance pays off to beat 2 County defenders to a long ball, knock it on and run onto it to curl an excellent shot past Colin Samson. After all the excitement at a home cup draw at last, it seems our hopes of a cup run are in tatters already - Hamilton 0-2 up and to be honest looking more likely to score a 3rd than us to score a 1st. As the half wears on we come more into the match and finally get the breakthrough our play deserves on 33 minutes with some slightly scrappy interplay in the County midfield culminating in a superb shot from 25 yards out by Kevin McCallion. With almost an hour still to play, things are looking up now and the fans are getting behind us, willing us forward. We kick off the second half and immediately are on the attack, McCunnie heading on for Winters, back to O'Donoghue who picks out David McGuire's run with a pinpoint pass and McGuire duly tucks it away with a neat chip over the 'keeper. More chances as the half progresses, but as the final whistle blows we face the realisation that we must travel away to Hamilton for a replay if we are to progress to the second round. Having not won on our travels since mid August the omens don't look good.

FT: Ross County 2-2 Hamilton (1981 Attendance)


Sunday 11th January

Into the hat with Hamilton for the 4th Round draw of the FA Cup today. Dundee United vs Clyde or Stilring, East Fife vs Brechin, Ayr vs Livingston, Ross County or Hamilton...ah, here we are...it's a home tie if we can just negotiate the away replay at Hamilton...and it's against...Hibernian...phew, that is definitely worth trying our all for. A home tie with an SPL club should generate some much needed cash and give us a realistic chance of progressing...although not if our home form against Hamilton is anything to go by!!

Wednesday 14th January 2004
Hamilton vs Ross County
Scottish FA Cup 3rd Round Replay

With the carrot of a home tie against Hibernian awaiting the winners, this is a keenly fought match and one of the best games of football I've seen in a while. Both sides really go for it and the finishing from both sets of players is excellent, with a vast majority of shots forcing the opposition 'keeper to make a save, or attempt to at least. It's a perfect start for Ross County as we aim to overcome our away hoodoo and win for the first time in over 4 months as David McGuire continues his excellent recent form to tuck away a Jamie McCunnie cross - pretty much a carbon copy of his finish in the first match. 25 minutes gone and County are really purring - a David Winters corner is headed powerfully at the Hamilton 'keeper by Keith Robertson, with David Hannah on hand to bundle home the rebound almost apologetically from 2 yards out. Not our most prolific of scorers, but even David is lethal from 2 yards! In an end to end game with over 20 shots on goal from the two sides before the hour, Hamilton pull a goal back on 61 minutes as the County defence parts like the Red Sea for Stevie Convery to fire home. Into the 88th minute and County are hanging on as Hamilton pour forward in search of a late equaliser. A corner to Hamilton and they send all the big men forward, but the delivery isn't the best and David Winters is able to break quickly down the right wing, with Hamilton stretched. As the full-back commits himself, Winters slides a great ball through for David McGuire who runs into acres of space and measures his finish past the despairing Hamilton 'keeper. 1-3 and surely now we're through with just minutes to go! Hamilton seem to be falling apart now though and Sandy Hodge fells David McGuire in the box, giving away a 93rd minute penalty. Jim Hamilton wastes no time in smashing home County's 4th from the spot. A great result and hopefully the start of a turnaround in our away form to carry through into the league too. And then of course there's the prospect of Hibernian visiting Victoria Park in the 4th Round.

FT: Hamilton 1-4 Ross County (4723 Attendance)

[This message was edited by glamdring on 08 February 2004 at 1:52.]

shannon2007

This seems a decent enough story. I have a feeling you might be updating just a bit too fast though. Just a thought

retired_marcias

Yeah, I started off reporting every match, but then started to get a bit bored describing all of them so am now trying to tone down the updates without a too obvious discontinuation of the story! I'll be rather more busy with work once the weekend is over too so I'd imagine updates will become rather more sporadic.

Thanks for the advice though

retired_marcias

Saturday 7th February 2004

A big day for us today as Hibernian come north for an FA Cup 4th Round tie. As a Hibs fan, it's a special moment for me to manage a side against them. Any other season and I'd want them to win the cup, but this season, in the nicest possible way, I hope their cup hopes flounder.

League form since our cup win at Hamilton can be summarised very easily as being the same as ever. The cup represents our only real chance of any kind of late season interest now. An excellent 4-1 win in the derby match at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle having gone a goal down was sandwiched between away defeats at Brechin and S. Johnstone. That's 8 away defeats in the league now this season and just the 2 wins from our first 2 away fixtures of the season. 11 points behind Ayr now, we'll have to look to next season for another promotion push.

Ross County vs Hibernian
FA Cup 4th Round

Onto the cup match though and there was an electric atmosphere at Victoria Park as a crowd of 5416 cheered us on against the side 6th in the SPL. In a very even match, we took the lead after 15 minutes as David McGuire headed in a David Winters corner for a text book goal. 1-0 up at half time and playing well, although Hibs have had some chances. With 7 minutes gone in the second half, Tom McManus finds the ball at his feet after a stromash in the County box and duly tucks it away for 1-1. An entertaining second half yields chances for both sides, but as time runs out a replay looks likely. As O'Donoghue picks the ball up in midfield on 87 minutes, McGarry makes an intelligent run down the right and receives a neat pass. Collecting the ball, McGarry looks up and floats in a teasing cross evading everyone in the box to arrive at Kevin McCallion who swivels and shoots...GOAL!!!!!!!. The fans are going wild, McCallion is going wild, I'm going wild! Just 2 minutes to go plus injury time and Ross County are on the verge of claiming a big cup win. Time to calm the players down and make sure we hang on to full time. Hibs are pouring forward now and it's a tense last few minutes as we head into injury time. Gary Smith plays a hopeful long ball and Tom McManus outruns full-back Bobby Duncan to get to it first...this is looking dangerous...the County defence are looking shaky and McManus squares it across the box where Scott Brown evades his marker Martin Canning to tap in. It's the 92nd minute and the final whistle goes almost immediately. It's heartbreaking to concede such a late equaliser, but I guess Hibs thought the same when McCallion scored.

FT: Ross County 2-2 Hibernian (5416 Attendance)

Oh well, I guess the replay will generate some much needed funds for us, but our chances of progressing are all but over. True, we won at Hamilton, but that was a one-off against a lower division team. The players will be up for it at Easter Road, but few teams in the country travel worse than County do

retired_marcias

Author's note:

I watched this match in Full match mode as I have a strange habit of doing when I'm aiming for a thud and blunder, bore the pants off everyone 0-0...don't ask why I prefer to watch those than games where I expect lots of goal though


The draw for the Quarter-finals takes place on Sunday and the winners of the Hibs/Ross County replay are given a home tie against Motherwell. I fancy our chances against Motherwell at home, unfortunately I don't fancy our chances at all away to Hibs...

Wednesday 11th February 2004

Hibernian vs Ross County
FA Cup 4th Round replay

Here we are then. An away replay at an SPL club after the heartbreak of the injury time equaliser conceded at Victoria Park. No-one expects us to win today - goalkeeper Colin Samson won man of the match on Saturday with a great display - chance are he'll be even busier today with the pace of Hibs' strikers.
2 noteable players missing for this match as Hibs' captain Ian Murray and Ross County's flying winger David Winters (who ironically was up against Murray on the wing on Saturday) both away on international duty.

Playing with a defensive 5-3-2 system today due to the absence of both main wingers and the attacking threat of Hibs, Ross County's main aim is to defend stoutly and try to nick a goal or get a penalty shootout. To that end the first half ends goal-less with a couple of opportunities for County and numerous chances for Hibs. Into the second half and the tension mounts as Hibs continue to pile on the pressure without success. A flurry of substitutions around the hour mark sees Jim Hamilton head off to be replaced by the pacier target man Keith Robertson. Hibs are still dominant, but on 78 minutes Alen Orman's throw-in is intercepted by Bobby Duncan, Martin Canning lofts it forward for Steven McGarry to beautifully cushion a header into the path of Robertson who's solid finish sends the small travelling support into raptures. 10 minutes still to go though and after Saturday's late show from Hibs, no-one is counting their chickens and it feels more like 10 hours. As expected Hibs batter at the County defence and are given 5 minutes of injury time to grab an equaliser, but as the final whistle goes the County players drop to their knees in the realisation that they are through to the Quarter finals against all the odds! Colin Samson again wins Man of the Match for a string of outstanding saves - he looks a worthy replacement for Andy Goram.

FT: Hibernian 0-1 Ross County (7253 Attendance)

What can I say? Ross County perplex me...we have one of the best home records in the country in the league, allied to one of the worst away records - it's now 5 months since we won away in the league. We a drawn at home in the 3rd and 4th rounds of the FA Cup and draw both, winning away replays in both rounds...our season still has some interest left in it now and the town of Dingwall is buzzing. Who cares if we can't win away in the league?!

[This message was edited by Raptor on 08 February 2004 at 16:04.]

retired_marcias

Match report from the Dingwall Times on Saturday March 6th 2004

Five-star County thrash Motherwell and head to Semis

Hamish Brodie reports:

A truly outstanding performance from Ross County today saw SPL side Motherwell dumped out of the FA Cup in embarrassing fashion. Having had to negotiate 2 away replays to arrive at this Quarter Final, County were today in no mood to try their luck at a third away replay.

Motherwell, who currently lie second bottom of the SPL rarely threatened in a first half which saw County notch up 4 goals without reply. With 14 minutes on the clock, 'well's Martyn Corrigan brought down John O'Neill in the area and David Winters stepped up to bang in his 10th goal of the season from the spot. Within quarter of an hour the tie was all but over as Kevin McCallion somehow connected with a wayward shot from Jamie McCunnie to turn the ball in at the far post, followed 2 minutes later by David McGuire volleying in a Winters cross. County's 4th came on 39 minutes as Keith Roberston rose above his marker to head in David Winters' corner at the near post.

The second half was relatively quiet after all the action of the first half, but County still created numerous chances, ending the game with 16 shots on target. It was deep into injury time when Motherwell sub Sean Fagen pushed Keith Robertson in the penalty area and the reliable Winters again showed his compusore to score the spotkick.

FT: Ross County 5-0 Motherwell (5478 Attendance)

With County's bad away form in the league having ended any hopes they had of promotion, and 1st round defeats in the Challenge Cup and League Cup, the FA Cup is providing fans with a surprise added interest as they now find themselves in the semi-finals looking forward to a trip to Hampden Park.

Elsewhere, Celtic had Stephen Crainey sent off in the opening minute at Hearts, but still scored 3 before half time, eventually hanging on for a 3-2 win. Livingston let a 2-0 lead slip at home to East Fife, but immediately hit back for a 3-2 win, whilst at Tannadice Dundee United saw Derek McInnes and Jim Paterson sent off as they drew 0-0 with Rangers.

Sunday March 7th 2004

FA Cup semi-final draw:

Livingston vs Dundee Utd or Rangers
Ross County vs Celtic

retired_marcias

Sunday 20th June 2004

Well, with the season now over I can look back with quite some pleasure at my first season of football management. Like any cocky young manager taking control of a new club, I had honestly thought we had a chance of a promotion season, but everyone around me was just happy to avoid relegation. In the end, the league just meandered to its inevitable conclusion with a solid finish in 5th place.

We didn't win away again in the league after those first two wins in August. At home we remained unbeaten throughout the season leaving us feeling frustrated at our abysmal away form. If we can put that right next season and maintain the home form, we should win promotion this year.

The FA Cup provided us with an unexpected run of entertainment, especially confounding our league form as we came through 2 away replays including a great win at Hibs. The fans thoroughly enjoyed the 5-0 win over Motherwell as we really turned on the style.

All that remains to report on from last season is our trip to Hampden, or our two trips to Hampden I should say as we stubbornly held Celtic to a 0-0 draw in the first semi-final encounter. That's not to say that we didn't attack and have chances ourselves, but our goalkeeper Craig Samson yet again winning man of the match tells the story of most of the match. Over 45,000 came to watch the replay, but it was a step too far for us after Celtic scored early on and we tried to chase the game, eventually losing 4-0. It was a great experience though and the money we made made the difference between £250,000 debts and a bank balance of over £350,000 which will help cover our monthly losses this season.

My youth team development coach yesterday introduced me to the 13 lads he deems ready to join the full squad, or at least the U19s. Disappointingly there were no centre-backs amongst them, but one of the left-backs can play there so he probably will. I was ready to give a chance to a pair of young raw centre-backs this season if they were strong and fast, but we'll see how things go. Of the rest, it's hard to tell yet how good they'll be...the die will be cast over the next few years. I was urged to keep an eye on young midfielder Nick James who I'm told is God's gift to football in these parts. Again we'll have to see. Initial observations indicate that he runs like Donovan Bailey, but has the flair of a cabbage. I'll keep an eye on him though since my coach is so enthusiastic about his prospects.

Now it's time to look what needs changing in the squad. The finances are not good, despite last season's cup windfall - we have a good bank balance, but judging by last season we'll lose all of that by the end of the season. Archie has given me £35,000 to spend on transfers so I'll see what I can do. I'm happy with the squad I have if I can add a quality centre-back or two.

Off now to scout around Scotland...

retired_marcias

Author's Note:

Just to clear up any confusion, my goalkeeper is called Craig, despite me constantly calling him Colin!

retired_marcias

Match report from the Dingwall Times on Saturday September 4th 2004

County win away league match for the first time in over a year!

Hamish Brodie reports:

In a shock result today, St. Johnstone, the team many consider the favourites for promotion this season were comprehensively beaten by Ross County. County had failed to win away in the league since last August and despite starting the season unbeaten in their first 3 games with St. Johnstone taking just 3 points so far, many expected the Perth side to recover their form and comfortably see off County.

Despite being the better side for most of the match with better passing and more efforts on goal, St. Johnstone were taken apart by the clinical finishing and resolute defending of the away team. Dingwall youngster John MacDonald netted his first senior goal having only been promoted from the club's youth ranks this summer as he headed in David Winters' accurate corner. An excellent strike from the edge of the area by David McGuire appeared to have sealed the points for County and an injury time 3rd from Keith Robertson made it a thoroughly miserable day for the home fans and a joyous one for the away fans as they return up the A9.

Now, everyone at the club will be hoping this is a sign of things to come rather than a flash in the pan result.

FT: St. Johnstone 0-3 Ross County (4117 Attendance)