Date	Saturday, 24 August 2002
Competition	Scottish League Division 1
Fixture/Score	Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2:0 Ross County
Venue	Caledonian Stadium
Attendance	3,699
Referee	Alan Freeland
Comments	Match Report Report by Alasdair Fraser for the Scotland on Sunday. Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2 Ross County 0 Rarely can there have been such a one-sided first half in the eight-years history of this Highland derby. A singularly-inept, disjointed and spiritless Ross County trailed 2-0 going on six or seven after only 45 minutes. That the second half, at least in terms of possession and territory, proved fairer for Neale Cooper's men can hardly have lightened their short and miserable journey home in the drizzle over the Moray Firth. While the league formbook had suggested that this should have been an opportunity for County to improve on a record of only five wins in 20 derbies since league admission, it only served to worsen that ignominious trail of results stretching back to 1994. In fact, County have won just once in 11 attempts away from home against their bitterest rivals. A woeful afternoon for Cooper. then, but a wholly heart-warming one for his counterpart, Steve Paterson, who has resolutely praised his players for their performances this season, despite the worry of four winless outings before yesterday. A heavy shower just before kick-off made Caledonian Stadium's surface greasy, and Caley Thistle went ahead after only seven minutes thanks to some real slackness in the County defence. The ball spun off young Sean Webb's legs, and Dennis Wyness, last season's top First Division scorer, showed his poaching instincts by steadying and firing an angled shot in at Tony Bullock left-hand post from 12 yards. County, looking ill at ease in the conditions, couldn't settle for more than a couple of passes before losing their way. Cooper anxiety was evident when he hauled off young Irish defender Sean Webb after just 22 minutes, with ex-Motherwell attacker Martin Wood coming on in a tactical switch. The home side retained the initiative, though, and they were deservedly 2-0 up in 33 minutes after their sixth corner of the game. The ball rolled back to taker Barry Robson, and his pinpoint cross found Wyness free to score with a header from just inside the six-yard box. County tried to respond but, from a long punt up the field, Graham Bayne's header into keeper Mark Brown's arms was the best they could muster. Cooper made his second change at half-time with skipper Steve Ferguson taken off for young midfielder Don Cowie. If the away manager was looking for an early response, it didn't come, and he made his third switch of the game in only 50 minutes, with Steven McGarry injected into attack for Bayne. A bookable foul on Charlie Christie by Kenny Gilbert lined up Bobby Mann for a trademark free-kick blast just outside the box. The big defender was unlucky as his low-drilled attempt skidded just wide of Bullock's left post. While County huffed and puffed with most of the possession in the final half-hour, it said it all that their supporters were steaming home with 10 minutes remaining. County's Kenny Gilbert saw red for a second bookable offence three minutes from time, to rub salt in the wounds.
Ross County
Manager	Neale Cooper
Starting 11	1: Anthony (Tony) Bullock, 2: Martin Canning, 3: Hugh Robertson, 4: Sean Webb, 5: Mark Perry 1, 6: Steven MacKay, 7: Mark McCulloch, 8: Kenneth Gilbert 2 1, 9: Steven Ferguson, 10: Conor Gethins, 11: Graham Bayne
Bench	0: Leslie Fridge, 0: Don (JNR) Cowie, 0: Martin Wood, 0: Alexander Bone, 0: Steven McGarry
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Manager	Steve Paterson
Starting 11	Mark Brown, Ross Tokely, Bobby Mann, Stuart Golabek, Stuart McCaffrey, Charlie Christie, Barry Robson, Roy McBain, Russell Duncan, Richie Hart, Dennis Wyness 2
Bench	Ally Ridgers, Grant Munro, Anthony Low, Brian Gilfillan, Paul Ritchie