| Date | Saturday, 04 December 1993 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Highland League |
| Fixture/Score | Buckie Thistle 2:3 Ross County |
| Venue | Victoria Park, Buckie |
| Attendance | |
| Referee | J. Gover |
| Comments | Match Report Report by Mike Tremlett for the Press & Journal. Buckie Thistle 2 Ross County 3 Ross County manager Bobby Wilson faces a trying week in the build-up to Saturday's Tennents Scottish Cup first round tie against South of Scotland League side St Cuthberts Wanderers. Former Don Andy MacLeod got his marching orders for a second bookable show of dissent in 10-man County's 3-2 Press and Journal Highland League win over Buckie on Saturday and will miss the tie in Dingwall. With playmaker Gordon Connelly already suspended and striker Alan Duff facing a week of intensive treatment on a bruised hamstring strain, County's problems are mounting. "I'm pleased with our win at Buckie but I'm disappointed at the cost of the victory," said the Ross boss. "Andy MacLeod is now out of the frame. Thankfully, Cammy Robertson has phoned to say he will be home and available and Gary Ross is now fit again but we still have problems we don't need at a time like this." One thing the County boss can count on against St Cuthberts is tons of character and commitment--characteristics which carried 10-man County to an important league win over Buckie. The Dingwall side trailed twice after Jim FINDLEY and then Michael SMART, right after the interval, put the Jags ahead after Brian GRANT had levelled midway through the first half. A Billy FERRIES' cross hit the net off Alex Innes' back post in 49 minutes and then, barely a minute after MacLeod had been red-carded, Chris SOMERVILLE slammed a beauty past Innes from fully 30 yards. In a game which was painfully punctuated by the referees' whistle and a string of largely unwarranted yellow cards, both sides had a distinctly makeshift look. With Connelly suspended, Robbie Williamson pushed on into midfield and Barry Wilson was paired with Brian Grant up front, while the superb Ferries supplied the width on the right. The Jags missed sweeper Iain Mathieson's calm assurance and distribution under pressure and Gordon Robertson's unavailability forced manager Bob Summers to draft Alan McPherson into the central midfield role. He responded with a tremendous performance but Buckie had to do without his threat up front and enough chance to make the difference went begging as a result. "I'm not too disappointed at the result and I don't think we played badly under the circumstances, although we could certainly have done a great deal better," said Buckie boss Bob Summers. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Robert (Bobby) Wilson |
| Starting 11 | 1: Stephen Hutchison, 2: Christopher (Chris) Somerville 1, 3: Craig Reid, 4: Robert (Robbie) Williamson, 5: Johnston Bellshaw, 6: Andrew (Andy) MacLeod, 7: Keith (Billy) Ferries 1, 8: Brian Grant 1, 9: Barry Wilson, 10: Alexander (Sandy) MacLeod, 11: Tommy Drummond |
| Bench | 0: Gary Ross, 0: Donald MacKay |