| Date | Saturday, 20 March 2004 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 1 |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 1:1 Falkirk |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 2,931 |
| Referee | Hugh Dallas |
| Comments | Match Report Report from the Press & Journal. Ross County 1 Falkirk 1 Young Ross County goalkeeper Graham Smith is grafting nine to five to realise his Rangers dream, but would happily double those training hours. Ross County staff say the 20-year-old almost has to be forcibly removed from the Victoria Park training complex. After the latest in a series of assured displays on Saturday, with Smith absolved of blame for the Falkirk goal, the on-loan Ibrox understudy explained the motivations for his work ethic. Smith has watched with envy as young Scotland contemporaries such as Craig Gordon and David Marshall get their chance on a bigger stage. The County goalkeeper, as mature and composed off the field as on it, now wants to convince Alex McLeish he should be part of Ibrox rebuilding plan. He said: "I want to go on and try to make it at Rangers. "I'm pleased with my consistency and performances, but at Ross County I am working to become twice the goalkeeper I am now." Opportunities may beckon next season, with an Ibrox recall a possibility. Smith said: "I'm told Allan MacGregor may be loaned out next season, as I was for experience, with me brought back as understudy to Stefan Klos." Manager Alex Smith rates the goalkeeper and was quick to clear him of blame for Falkirk's goal on Saturday. After 67 minutes, Craig McPherson's free kick from the right was missed by everyone and flew into the corner of the net. The County manager said: "We defended it too deeply and it meant Graham had no time or space to react when the Falkirk lads missed it." County responded five minutes later when Graham Bayne slid in to score from five yards after a John Rankin free kick was knocked back across goal. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Alexander (Alex) Smith |
| Starting 11 | 1: Graeme Smith, 2: James Lauchlan, 3: Martin Canning, 4: Mark McCulloch, 5: John Rankin, 6: Jamie McCunnie, 7: Steven MacKay, 8: David Hannah, 9: Graham Bayne 1, 10: Steven McGarry, 11: David Winters |
| Bench | 0: Stuart Malcolm, 0: Stephen O'Donnell, 0: James Hamilton, 0: Sean Higgins |
| Falkirk | |
| Manager | John Hughes |
| Starting 11 | Darren Hill, James Sharp 1, Andy Lawrie, John Hughes, Neil Scally 1, Scott McKenzie, Brent Rahim, Russell Latapy, Craig McPherson 1, John O'Neil, Jason Lee |
| Bench | John Hutchison, Kieran McAnespie, Davie Nicholls, Derek Colqhoun, Ian McSween |