| Date | Tuesday, 11 March 2003 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 1 |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 0:1 Falkirk |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 2,161 |
| Referee | Tom Brown |
| Comments | Match Report Report by Dave Edwards for the Press & Journal. Ross County 0 Falkirk 1 Falkirk were made to fight all the way by 10-man Ross County as it was the battling Bairns who took full points in a keenly contested match at Victoria Park last night. The only goal of the game came in the 16th minute when Falkirk were awarded a softish penalty for for Sean Webb's rather innocuous challenge on Lee Miller. County played for more than an hour after Jordon Tait was red-carded in the 27th minute for a high tackle on Jamie McQuilken who was subsequently stretchered off. Ross County manager Alex Smith felt he side was unlucky. He said: "I think that the penalty kick was harsh as both players were running alongside each other and the big Falkirk lad just went down. "I think the sending-off was harsh as the boy took the ball first but apparently if it's an aggressive tackle these days it's a sending-off. "When we had 11 men with the wind our use of the ball was very poor and we didn't have any cohesion. "When we started to shorten the play we started to play a lot of good football and that's the best I've seen Hugh Robertson play for a long time." He added: "I think we can take great heart from the second half tonight when I thought experienced players like Irvine, McCulloch, Gilbert and Robertson stood up to be counted while Graham Bayne's work rate was tremendous. "We need to keep working hard and I'm sure we'll start to pick up the points." Bairns joint caretaker player-manager Owen Coyle was delighted to leave Dingwall with the points and in turn stretch Falkirk's lead at the top of the First Division to eight points. Coyle said: "We're delighted as I told the players before the start that this was our game in hand over St Johnstone so, arguably, our biggest game of the season. "We did create chances to kill County off but they made a valiant effort even with 10men to get an equaliser in the second half. "I think we have in Allan Ferguson the best keeper in the league and he proved that again tonight." He added: "It's a great night for Falkirk with both Caley Thistle and Clyde drawing elsewhere, but it is really all about what we do that matters. "I had a good view of the penalty incident when young Webb did have a hold of Lee Miller's jersey. I think Lee showed great composure to get up and stroke away the spot kick. "Jordan Tait didn't show any malicious intent at the sending-off incident but he did go in with his studs showing and at the moment Jamie McQuilken's down at the hospital with lacerations in his leg." |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Alexander (Alex) Smith |
| Starting 11 | 1: Anthony (Tony) Bullock, 2: Jordon Tait 1, 3: Sean Webb, 4: Hugh Robertson, 5: Brian Irvine 1, 6: Kevin McLeish, 7: Mark McCulloch, 8: Kenneth Gilbert, 9: Graham Bayne, 10: Steven McGarry, 11: David Winters |
| Bench | 0: Leslie Fridge, 0: Martin Canning, 0: Don (JNR) Cowie, 0: Conor Gethins, 0: Craig Campbell |
| Falkirk | |
| Manager | Owen Coyle |
| Starting 11 | Allan Ferguson, John Henry, John Hughes 1, Jamie McQuilken, Scott McKenzie, Mark Kerr, Davie Nicholls, Craig McPherson, Lee Miller 1 (1 pen), Owen Coyle, Collin Samuel |
| Bench | Darren Hill, Brian Reid, Stuart Taylor, Steven Rennie, Andy Rodgers |