| Date | Saturday, 07 November 1998 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 3 |
| Fixture/Score | Stenhousemuir 2:4 Ross County |
| Venue | Ochilview |
| Attendance | 820 |
| Referee | Robert Orr |
| Comments | Match Report Report by Arthur McTeague for the Daily Record. Stenhousemuir 2 Ross County 4 Steven Ferguson's hat-trick crushed Stenhousemuir--and finally buried the ghost of County's League Cup penalty ko to Hearts. Ferguson bagged his second and third in the final 10 minutes to kill off promotion rivals Stenny, and County boss Neale Cooper reckons the victory could prove a turning point in the season. Cooper said: "This was a massive game for us. In the past the record book shows we have been unable to beat the top teams, but after losing a two-goal lead today the side showed great character by going on to win. "It's the kind of result that can set the team up for the rest of the season. "We suffered mentally and physically after the Hearts defeat. We lost three players and had another six out injured for a time. "Two came back today and gave the side a lift. Steven Ferguson is different class and is a lovely lad to work with--he just loves scoring." Ferguson opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Lindsay Hamilton could only punch a David Matheson corner off the line and the youngster volleyed through a ruck of players. Alex Taylor flighted a superb free-kick over the wall and in off the post from 19 yards to put the visitors two up. But 18-year-old Ross Hamilton dragged Stenny back into the game with an angled strike 13 minutes after the break. Alan Lawrence then danced round Walker before sliding the ball home to level the scores. Ten minutes from time and with the Warriors going for broke, County's Stuart Golabek was given space by Alan Banks to float in a cross from the left. Ferguson got his head to the ball and looked as surprised as everyone when the gusting wind carried it over the line. Deep into injury time, Neil Tarrant whipped another ball in from the left and Ferguson's diving header from eight yards completed the treble. Ferguson said: "I signed a new full-time contract this term and I've bought a flat in Inverness to save the travelling. Everything is great at the moment. "I was second-top scorer last season to Gary Woods with 10 goals and my goal was to better than this season. This, my first hat-trick, is something special and equals last season's total with some time to go." Kilbarchan referee Bobby Orr did neither side any favours with petty stops and Stenny were incensed at a throw-in call just before County broke for the third. Stenny boss Terry Christie said: "I didn't think the linesman and ref displayed any team work--but we lost a dreadful third goal. "From being down in the first half I was elated at 2-2, feeling we had a good chance of winning. "Then we allowed a ball from nothing to be delivered and it just seemed to hit the young lad Ferguson head and go past our keeper." |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Neale Cooper |
| Starting 11 | 1: Joseph (Nicky) Walker, 2: David Matheson, 3: Stuart Golabek, 4: Ian Maxwell, 5: Mark Haro, 6: Alexander Taylor 1, 7: Steven Ferguson 3, 8: Roy McBain 1, 9: Kenneth Gilbert, 10: Keith (Billy) Ferries, 11: Neil Tarrant |
| Bench | 0: Robert (Robbie) Williamson, 0: Gary Higgins, 0: David Ross |
| Stenhousemuir | |
| Manager | Graeme Armstrong |
| Starting 11 | Lindsay Hamilton, Graeme Davidson, Alan Banks, Graeme Armstrong, Crawford Baptie 1, Tom Graham, Ross Hamilton 1, Jimmy Fisher, Alan Lawrence 1, Albert Craig 1, Adrian Sprott 1 |
| Bench | Willie Watters, Alan Lansdowne, Michael Hall |