Date	Saturday, 04 August 2012
Competition	Scottish Premier League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 0:0 Motherwell
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance	4,828
Referee	Alan Muir
Comments	Match Report Report by Colin Moffat for the BBC. Ross County 0 Motherwell 0 Ross County opened their Scottish Premier League account with a solid if unspectacular goalless draw with Motherwell. Both goalkeepers had time to work on their tans in the Highland sunshine as scoring chances were at a premium. The best opportunity fell to Michael Higdon when the visiting striker connected in the six yard box only for the ball to fly over the crossbar. County seldom troubled the 'Well defence in front of 4,824 supporters. Given the population of Dingwall is not much more than 5,000, that can be regarded as a healthy crowd. After a summer of gloomy predictions for the future of Scottish football, the stage was set perfectly for a positive response. The playing surface was pristine, the weather glorious and both sets of fans were in good voice. However, the match failed to ignite, with neither team able to move the ball around with any attacking menace. The home side had very generously subsidised the 370-mile coach trip for Motherwell fans but that is where the Highland hospitality stopped. County were well-organised at the back, with gnarled defensive stalwarts Grant Munro and Ross Tokely in dominant form. There was an early scare for the home side when Jamie Murphy curled in a cross that evaded everyone in the penalty area and bounced narrowly wide of Michael Fraser's post. Darren Randolph then had to look lively to tip over a header from Munro. New Motherwell defender Simon Ramsden hammered a shot wide from distance before Tokely made a vital headed interception to deny Higdon. The first half ended with Higdon looking skyward in disbelief as he diverted Chris Humphrey's corner over the top. County are largely unchanged from the side that ran away with last season's First Division title and their shortcomings in the final third were evident. Lone striker Colin McMenamin was full of honest endeavour but starved of service. The crowd in the newly-seated Jail End were on their feet early in the second half as Tokely lumbered into the penalty area but the full-back hesitated and his low cross was cut out by a defender in claret and amber. Paul Lawson tried his luck from long range and a stretching Tokely was inches away from getting on the end of a long Richard Brittain free kick as the home side enjoyed their best spell. Several 'Well fans, encouraged by the balmy conditions and perhaps inspired by their midweek Champions League meeting with Panathinaikos, were bare-chested and made a right racket but couldn't inspire their team to greater heights. Substitute Henrik Ojamaa thrilled briefly with a mazy run but could find no way through the brick wall of big men in blue shirts, while Fraser held onto a daisy-cutter from Omar Daley. The first meeting of these sides won't live long in the memory but both managers declared themselves satisfied with the opening day of the season. It's not often the weather will be as welcoming as this and, given the level of commitment shown by the home team, locals will be quietly confident of upsetting some of the division's leading lights as the nights draw in. It is often difficult for a player to settle in at a club after the switch from a local rival. And, when you have spent 16 years with the bitter footballing enemy, the new set of fans are unlikely to start chanting your name any time soon. But Ross Tokely must have gone a long way to thawing even the frostiest of Ross County hearts with a towering man-of-the-match display in the 0-0 draw with Motherwell. Playing at right-back, the 33-year-old was in imperious form, getting his bald and battered head to every ball that came his way. The veteran even found time for the odd foray forward. Tokely was Mr Inverness Caley Thistle, having played for and scored in every senior division for the Highland's capital club. And he is aware that not every Staggies supporter is entirely happy to see him at Victoria Park. "I've got a wee bit to go yet," he said. "It's never nice to get booed when your name is announced, but they are in their right. "Today was just a little block in the road for the season ahead for me." County's first taste of the Scottish Premier League may have been a rather drab stalemate, but there was much to encourage Tokely. "We performed out our skins to keep Motherwell at bay," he enthused. "To put in a performance like that against a very good side, I thought everybody played their part. "I can remember a few days when the championship flag was raised turning into damp squibs. "But I thought the boys were tremendous. "Most have got not a lot to prove but have wee chips on their shoulders. "There is a great team spirit and everyone backs each other up. If somebody is struggling, someone comes over and takes care of it. "Everyone knows their role in the team and that's testimony to the manager and the work we have done in the close season. "Every player in the team already has some experience of the SPL - and they were all champing at the bit to get back in." Of course, Tokely is not the first player to make the move from the Caledonian Stadium to Victoria Park. He has been reunited with his old defensive partner Grant Munro, who made more than 350 appearances for Inverness. "It was great to be back battling with Granty," said Tokely. "He's such a tremendous character. "He was a rock at the back with big Scott Boyd." Tokely was also quick to praise the work of manager Derek Adams and the board of the Dingwall club, who were elevated to the senior ranks along with Inverness in 1994. "People at the club have taken a chance and shown faith in me," he added. "Once I'd made the decision to leave Inverness, they made a real effort to get me and I have to repay that with performances on the park. "I'm not just here to see my career out, that's not my mentality to just mess about - it's a new challenge for me. "To get man-of-the-match is extra special for me and I had a wee smile to myself. It was overwhelming really." Here's hoping most of those churlish enough to jeer Tokely before such an overt demonstration of his commitment to the County cause were able to crack a grin at their own folly. Well, maybe half a smile.
Ross County
Manager	Derek Adams
Starting 11	1: Michael Fraser, 3: Marc Fitzpatrick, 4: Grant Munro, 5: Scott Boyd, 6: Ross Tokely, 8: Paul Lawson, 9: Colin McMenamin, 10: Richard Brittain 1, 11: Iain Vigurs, 14: Martin Scott, 18: Russell Duncan
Bench	13: Joseph Malin, 15: Mark Corcoran, 17: Samuel Morrow, 21: Alex Cooper, 22: Mihael Kovacevic, 23: Archie Macphee, 26: Tony Dingwall
Motherwell
Manager	Stuart McCall
Starting 11	Darren Randolph, Steven Hammell, Nicky Law, Shaun Hutchinson, Tom Hateley, Chris Humphrey, Michael Higdon, Jamie Murphy, Keith Lasley, Simon Ramsden, Omar Daley
Bench	Lee Hollis, Robert McHugh, Henrik Ojamaa, Jonathan Page, Adam Cummins, Zaine Francis-Angol, Stevie Hetherington