| Date | Saturday, 03 December 2005 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 1 |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 0:4 Saint Mirren |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 3,393 |
| Referee | Stuart Dougal |
| Comments | Match Report Report from the Press & Journal. Ross County 0 Saint Mirren 4 The score line may have flattered St Mirren but the First Division leaders thoroughly deserved this victory over Ross County at Victoria Park. County only made one change from the team that beat Queen of the South the week before, with David Cowan replacing young Neil MacDonald at right back, but tht Dingwall side never got going in this top of the table clash. Saints are now seven points clear and on this form will be hard to clash. County caretaker-manager Gardner Speirs said: "I thought we were in the game right up until we lost the second goal. It was a bad one to lose and it definitely cost us the game. "We had one or two chances at the start of the second half. If we had managed to get one back we might nave got something out of the game. "we were hoping to cut St Mirren's lead to one point, but now it's seven. We will just have to pick ourselves up next week." County started well enough and Don Cowie had the first shot on goals, but his long-rnge effort was well held by Saints keeper Chris Smith. It Was the visitors who went ahead in the ninth minute. Cowan gave away possession in his own half and Simon Lappin sent over a high cross from the left which was headed in off the inside of the far post by Stewart Kean. County were unlucky not to level matters in the 27th minute when Alex Burke fired in a 25-yard drive, but his shot crashed off the crossbar before being cleared. The home side's hopes of a comeback were dealt a blow when Martin Canning faild to reappear after the break. The big defender was replaced by midfielder Kevin McKinlay as County reshuffled the pack. The next goal was going to prove vital, and it was the Buddies who grabbed it on the hour mark. County keeper Stuart Garden could only parry a John Sutton shot and David Van Zanten followed up to stick the ball away. It was all over in the 72nd minute when Saints were awarded a penalty when Sutton was taken down by Mark McCulloch well inside the area. Sutton converted the spot kick himself. Worse was to follow for the home side when a blunder by Garden gifted Saints a fourth goal. Lappin sent in a looping cross and Garden allowed a Hugh Murray header to slip through his hands and into the net. County Had their chances in the second period, with John Rankin and David Winters both forcing fine saves from Smith, but it just wasn't their day. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Gardner Spiers |
| Starting 11 | 1: Stuart Garden, 2: David Cowan, 3: Martin Canning, 4: James Lauchlan 1, 5: Lionel Djebi-Zadi, 6: Fergus Tiernan, 7: Mark McCulloch, 8: Don (JNR) Cowie, 9: John Rankin, 10: Alexander Burke, 11: David Winters |
| Bench | 0: Joseph Malin, 0: Neil McDonald, 0: Kevin McKinlay, 0: Gary McSwegan, 0: Maciej Nuckowski |
| Saint Mirren | |
| Manager | Gus MacPherson |
| Starting 11 | Christopher Smith, Kevin McGowne, David van Zanten 1, Andy Millen, Kirk Broadfoot 1, John-Paul Potter, Hugh Murray 1, Simon Lappin, Alan Reid, John Sutton 1 (1 pen), Stewart Kean 1 |
| Bench | Daniel McColgan, Mark Reilly, Mark Corcoran, Charlie Adam, Billy Mehmet |