| Date | Saturday, 13 December 2003 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 1 |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 0:1 Clyde |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 2,721 |
| Referee | John Underhill |
| Comments | Match Report Report from the Press & Journal. Ross County 0 Clyde 1 Ross County manager Alex Smith will want his players to quickly rediscover their scoring touch after they lost out to First Division title rivals Clyde in a largely uneventful match at Victoria Park. County were the league's leading-scorers before Saturday's game, but the players obviously left their shooting boots in the dressing-room as Ian Harty's strike on the stroke of half-time proved enough for the Bully Wee to claim all three points. Smith said: "We never got going, we were second to every ball. We had a great chance in the opening minute to get ourselves in front. "The passing was sloppy and they were getting all the second ball. To give the goal away just before half-time was massive." "The passing was sloppy and they were getting all the second ball. To give the goal away just before half-time was massive." Clyde manager Alan Kernaghan said: "I thought we dominated the first half and passed the ball about well. In the second half, we dog in and defended well and met all the challenges they threw at us, which was great." County had on-loan Rangers goalkeeper Graeme Smith on show and, after a nervy start, the youngster did well and produced the save of the match late on from Clyde's Jack Ross. County had a great chance to snatch the lead in the first minute when Conor Gethins carved out a chance for Jim Hamilton, but the former Aberdeen forward dallied too long on the ball. Graham Bayne got on the end of a John Rankin cross a minute later, but Clyde goalkeeper Alan Morrison blocked the 24-year-old striker's effort at the far post. Andy Smith was causing the County defence a lot of problems, and he shot just past County's left post after being set up by Kernaghan. Clyde made the breakthrough in the 44th minute when a clearance landed nicely for Harty, who swept the ball past home keeper Smith from 12 yards. County introduced strikers David Winters and Steve McGarry at the start of the second half, and although the home team raised its game, Clyde defence held firm. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Alexander (Alex) Smith |
| Starting 11 | 1: Graeme Smith, 2: Hugh Robertson, 3: Stuart Malcolm, 4: Stephen O'Donnell, 5: Mark McCulloch, 6: David Hannah, 7: John Rankin, 8: Jamie McCunnie, 9: James Hamilton, 10: Graham Bayne, 11: Conor Gethins |
| Bench | 0: Leslie Fridge, 0: Don (JNR) Cowie, 0: Sean Higgins, 0: Steven McGarry, 0: David Winters |
| Clyde | |
| Manager | Alan Kernaghan |
| Starting 11 | Alan Morrison, Simon Mensing, Chris McGroarty, Alan Kernaghan, Mark McLaughlin, Jack Ross, David Hagen, Colin Marshall, Andy Smith, James Gibson, Ian Harty 1 |
| Bench | Stephen McConalogue, Paul Doyle, Andy Millen, Bryn Halliwell, Mark Gilhaney |