| Date | Tuesday, 12 August 2003 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish Challenge Cup |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 5:0 Dumbarton |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 861 |
| Referee | Ian Fyfe |
| Comments | Match Report Report from the Press & Journal. Ross County 5 Dumbarton 0 David Winters and Jim Hamilton combined to dump Dumbarton out of the Bell's Challenge Cup with a five-star display last night. The former Dundee United duo were in top scoring form as County strolled into the quarter-final. County made five changes from the side that demolished Brechin City on Saturday for last night's tie with Dumbarton at Victoria Park. It was the Sons who threatened first and County keeper Colin Stewart was forced to take the sting out of a 20-yard shot from Steve Boner. At the other end Hamilton rose to meet a Conor Gethins cross, but the former Dundee United striker failed to direct his header on target. Winters and Hamilton both went close as County probed for an opener, but the Second Division outfit were not completely out of it and Iain Russell was unlucky to see a goal bound header cleared by Steve MacKay. But it was County who took the lead in the 29th minute when neat work on the left from Gethins set up Winters to steer the ball home from 15 yards. The Dumbarton goal was under pressure at start of the second half as efforts from David Hannah and Hamilton were cleared off the line. Sean Higgins and Jordan Tate came on in 65th minute to freshen up the home side and within five minutes the Dingwall men found themselves 2-0 up. MacKay delivered a delicate deep cross from the left touchline and Hamilton headed across goal into the corner of the net. In a carbon copy move, MacKay was again the provider as Hamilton found the back of the net from six yards. County piled on the agony for the visitors and Winters notched his second of the tie when he flicked the ball past keeper Steve Grindlay with the outside of his foot in the 81st minute. Winters completed his hat trick six minutes from the end with a low drive from just inside the area. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Alexander (Alex) Smith |
| Starting 11 | 1: Colin Stewart, 2: Sean Webb, 3: Stuart Malcolm 1, 4: Steven MacKay, 5: Don (JNR) Cowie, 6: Stephen O'Donnell, 7: David Hannah, 8: Jamie McCunnie, 9: James Hamilton 2, 10: David Winters 3, 11: Conor Gethins |
| Bench | 0: Leslie Fridge, 0: Jordon Tait, 0: Connor Campbell, 0: Sean Higgins, 0: Graham Bayne |
| Dumbarton | |
| Manager | Brian Fairlie |
| Starting 11 | Steve Grindlay, James McKinstry, Craig Brittain, Neill Collins, Cornelius Duffy, Daniel Smith, Steven Bonar, Mark Bradley, Paddy Flannery, Iain Russell, John Dillon |
| Bench | John Wight, Steven Renicks, Gordon Herd, Isaac English, Chris Boyle |