| Date | Tuesday, 26 March 2002 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 1 |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 4:1 Airdrieonians |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 2,087 |
| Referee | George Clyde |
| Comments | Match Report Report by Dave Edwards for the Press & Journal. Ross County 4 Airdrieonians 1 Ross County moved into third place in the First Division with a comprehensive victory over crisis club Airdrie last night. County took full advantage of Ayr United's draw with Arbroath at Somerset Park to attain their highest position in the Scottish League. Airdrie opened the scoring with a Roberts free kick in the 43rd minute, but just before the break Alex Bone netted the equaliser from the spot. Mark McCormick fired County ahead in the 58th minute and 10 minutes later Brian Irvine added another before McCormick made it 4-1 nine minutes from time. County were without suspended striker Steven Hislop, with McCormick taking his place, while Bone came in for youngster Conor Gethins, who dropped to the bench. Airdrie managed Ian McCall surprisingly listed himself as a trialist substitute. In the 21st minute, County almost opened the scoring, but Airdrie defender Tony Smith cleared Irvine's net bound grounder off the line. Robertson fired in a 20-yard angular drive, but again Bennett was equal to the task. Airdrie responded when Kevin James hit a scorching 35-yard drive which grazed the crossbar, although Tony Bullock in the County goal had it well covered. Three minutes before the break Airdrie were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box. Owen Coyle's effort went over the top, but the referee ordered a retake and this time Mark Roberts gave Bullock no chance as he scored the opener. Just before the half-time whistle Stephen Docherty handled the ball in the box to give County amazingly their first penalty kick of the season. Bone stepped up to send Bennett the wrong way for the equaliser. In the 51st minute, County keeper Bullock just got a fingertip to a tremendous Coyle volley to touch the ball on to the post. Only a brilliant diving save by Bullock stopped James giving Airdrie a 57th-minute lead. A minute later County went ahead when McCormick ran on to a Maxwell through ball to round visiting keeper Bennett and fire home from 12 yards. Irvine put the game beyond Airdrie's reach in the 68th minute when he netted from close range after a goalmouth scramble. Airdrie's misery was compounded in the 80th minutes when manager McCall was ordered to the stand by the referee, apparently for remarks made to the stand side linesman. In the 82nd minute, McCormick hit his own second and County's fourth goal with a stunning 30-yard angular drive which gave Bennett no chance. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Neale Cooper |
| Starting 11 | 1: Anthony (Tony) Bullock, 2: Mark Perry, 3: Ian Maxwell, 4: Richard Hastings, 5: Hugh Robertson 1, 6: Martin Canning, 7: Brian Irvine 1, 8: Steven Ferguson, 9: Kenneth Gilbert, 10: Alexander Bone 1 (1 pen), 11: Mark McCormick 2 |
| Bench | 0: Leslie Fridge, 0: Nicolas Kuyper, 0: Don (JNR) Cowie, 0: Karim Boukraa, 0: Conor Gethins |
| Airdrieonians | |
| Manager | Ian McCall |
| Starting 11 | Neil Bennett, Sandy Stewart, John Henry, Stuart MacDonald, Anthony Smith, Kevin James, Stuart Taylor 1, Jerome Vareille, Stevie Docherty, Mark Roberts 1, Owen Coyle |
| Bench | Lee Gardner, Craig McPherson, Trialist |