| Date | Saturday, 21 February 1998 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 3 |
| Fixture/Score | East Stirlingshire 0:1 Ross County |
| Venue | Firs Park |
| Attendance | 340 |
| Referee | Brian McGarry |
| Comments | Match Report Report from the Press & Journal. East Stirlingshire 1 Ross County 0 The Swings and roundabout of the Third Division promotion race took another turn at Firs Park on Saturday. East Stirling's 1-0 win over Ross County moves the Falkirk team back into contention after a disastrous January and has begun to put the first seeds of doubt into the minds of people tipping County for promotion. The mood in the two dressing-rooms afterwards could not have been more of a contrast. Dingwall boss Neale Cooper blasted his men, saying: "It's a warning to us. I couldn't see a fighting attitude from any player. Overall, it was one of the worst displays from Ross County I've been involved in. "There were one or two who stood out but the rest of the players won't have any complaints if they're not in the team next week." Cooper spelled out a stark warning for everyone involved in County's promotion push when he added: "It's the kind of performance which can't be repeated if we are to stand any chance of winning the league." But Shire caretaker Boss Hugh McCann was sporting a huge grin. "It keeps us in the hunt," he said. "We played very well and overall no one could deny the fact that we deserved the win." The Firs Park team's hero was burly centre half Scott Walker. He got to a long Colin Campbell free kick before anyone else and headed the ball over the advancing County keeper Kevin Morgan for the crucial 60th-minute strike. Shire had other chances. Most of them fell to man-of-the-match David Watt, who might have scored in the eighth minute but his flashing header from Alan Neill's cross went just wide. County were rarely seen in attack. Their one dangerous moment fell to Frenchman Frank Escalon. His 19th-minute pile-driver looked certain to go in but was brilliantly clawed away for a corner by Shire keeper Gordon McDougall. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Neale Cooper |
| Starting 11 | 1: Joseph (Nicky) Walker, 2: Mark Haro, 3: William (Billy) Herd 1, 4: David MacKay, 5: Kenneth Gilbert, 6: Franck Escalon, 7: Roy McBain, 8: Charles King, 9: Gerard Farrell, 10: Derek Adams, 11: Garry Wood |
| Bench | 0: William Furphy, 0: Alexander Taylor, 0: Jamie MacPherson |
| East Stirlingshire | |
| Manager | John Brownlie |
| Starting 11 | Gordon McDougall, Scott Walker 1, Andy Storrar, Colin Campbell, Alan Neill, Brian Ross 1, David Muirhead, Davie Watt, Tony Barr, Murray Hunter 1, Paul Patterson |
| Bench | Trialist, Martin McBride, Derek Gardiner |