Date	Sunday, 13 March 2016
Competition	Scottish League Cup
Fixture/Score	Hibernian 1:2 Ross County
Venue	Hampden Park
Attendance	38,796
Referee	Kevin Clancy
Comments	Match Report Report by Richard Wilson for the BBC. Scottish League Cup Final Hibernian 1 Ross County 2 A 90th-minute Alex Schalk goal delivered Ross County's first piece of major silverware as they beat Hibernian to lift the Scottish League Cup. Hibs controlled much of the opening half, but fell behind to Michael Gardyne's goal after he broke free of Mark Oxley and Liam Fontaine. Fontaine redeemed himself, scoring Hibs' equaliser just before half-time. However, it was the defender's poor clearance that allowed Schalk to score the winning goal at the death. Jim McIntyre opted to line his side up in a 3-5-2 shape that they had not used before this season, but which the coaching staff had seen other sides use well against Hibs this season. The play was frantic and urgent from the outset. Players were performing by their wits rather than any pre-planned strategy, and Jason Cummings' resourcefulness was almost telling when he lifted a 30-yard shot goalwards that Gary Woods had to move smartly to tip over the bar. A counter-attack by County saw Schalk try to play Gardyne through. The pass was misplaced, but Jackson Irvine regathered possession and he did find Gardyne. Fontaine's tackle only moved the ball away from Oxley, allowing Gardyne to prod the ball into the empty net. The goal was against the run of play, but Hibs did not allow it to unnerve them. Darren McGregor might have equalised, but headed over from a good position at the back post. Cummings also saw a hooked shot saved by Gary Woods in the County goal. A set-piece ought to have been a chance for County to rely on their organisation at the back, but there was a lack of command as a corner was fired into the penalty area and Fontaine rifled the ball into the corner of the net. The County players left the field at the interval looking dejected. Hibs would have felt that the momentum was in their favour, and Cummings and Anthony Stokes both had early chances to fire their side in front. The introduction of Brian Graham for the ineffective Liam Boyce provided County with a greater presence up front and somebody to build attacks around. The forward thought he had scored when he out-jumped Oxley to nod the ball in from close-range, but he was harshly judged to have fouled the goalkeeper. Yet in the final moments of the game, with Schalk and Gardyne having suffered from injuries, County found the means to win the final. The latter's break down the left saw Fontaine send his clearance straight to Schalk, who finished from close range to secure the first major trophy in County's history. Ross County manager Jim McIntyre paid tribute to the club's chairman Roy MacGregor after leading the Staggies to their first major trophy. Alex Schalk's last-minute goal gave County a 2-1 victory over Hibernian in the League Cup final at Hampden. "He really deserves it. He's put Dingwall on the map and he's been absolutely fantastic for this club. He is Mr Ross County," McIntyre said. "For us to be able to give him a bit of silverware is so pleasing." McIntyre concedes his players rode their luck at times, but believes they are fully deserving of their winners medals. "We've taken our chances when it counts," he noted. "These games are all about winning. "Nobody ever remembers the losers. That was my message to the players." It was a momentous day in the history of the Highlands outfit, who have finished fifth, seventh and ninth since promotion to the Premiership in 2012, and currently lie fourth in the table with nine games left. MacGregor says he hopes County's achievement will spur other smaller clubs in Scotland on to greater things. "I'm really proud for everyone and delighted for these fans," said the chairman. "Absolutely incredible. We've been on a journey together and this is not the end of the journey. We look forward to the next chapter. "We've just got to battle on and see if we can come in the top six of the league. It will be a milestone for the club if we can do that. "We're a community club and hopefully that gives encouragement to all the community clubs in Scotland." Match-winner Schalk, 23, says the cup win is just reward for a squad who "go through hell" together. "We fought so hard today," said the Dutchman, who joined the club last October. "They're a great side Hibs, and played fantastic. Second half, we fought for each other. "The whole season with his squad, we go through hell for each other. The 90th-minute goal couldn't be better for me though. "It was a fantastic counter-attack. I am where I'm supposed to be as a striker. Tap-in, 2-1, cup-winners." County assistant manager Billy Dodds was pleased at how well the team recovered after a nervy opening to the match. "Hibs were the better team first half. I thought we froze a little bit. It was an eachy-peachy second half, could have gone either way. "I thought we stuck in, worked hard and we got the break. "I'm just delighted. I would have hated this bunch of lads to go on and lose this. I don't know what would've happened."
Ross County
Manager	Jim McIntyre
Starting 11	21: Gary Woods, 2: Marcus Fraser, 7: Michael Gardyne 1, 8: Ian McShane, 10: Liam Boyce, 12: Richard Foster, 15: Andrew Davies, 23: Alex Schalk 1, 36: Jackson Irvine, 42: Martin Woods, 43: Paul Quinn
Bench	13: Christopher Konopka, 5: Scott Boyd, 6: Christopher Robertson, 9: Brian Graham, 17: Jonathan Franks, 18: Stewart Murdoch, 24: Raffaele De Vita
Hibernian
Manager	Alan Stubbs
Starting 11	Mark Oxley, David Gray, Liam Fontaine 1, Lewis Stevenson, Darren McGregor, Liam Henderson, Marvin Bartley 1, John McGinn 1, Kevin Thomson, Anthony Stokes, Jason Cummings
Bench	Farid El Alagui, Daniel Handling, Martin Boyle, James Keatings, Niklas Gunnarsson, Chris Dagnall, Otso Virtanen