| Date | Monday, 13 January 1997 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish Cup |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 3:0 Montrose |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 1,193 |
| Referee | Mike Pocock |
| Comments | Match Report Report by Mike Tremlett for the Press & Journal. Ross County 3 Montrose 0 Comeback striker Sandy Ross conjured up a blistering hat-trick to send Ross County player-manager Neale Cooper to his old East End Park haunt on Saturday week for the third round of the Tennents Scottish Cup. Recalled after a five-match absence, the big County hitman took the man-of-the-match award as County outclassed the Gable Endies. It was a miserable night for Montrose as veteran midfield man Innes McDonald, who had been booked in first half, was sent-off for spitting at County keeper Steve Hutchison on the hour. By then, County were 2-0 ahead and cruising in front of a 1,200 crowd who gave Ross a standing ovation when he was substituted 14 minutes from the end. Montrose went into the tie hit by suspensions and what followed could do their Third Division promotion campaign some serious damage. Kevin Tindal starts a four-game suspension on Saturday and McDonald faces a possible five-game ban. County roared into the lead after just two minutes when Ferries caught the Gable Endies defence square wide on the right and his early cross was stroked home at the back post by Ross. With County tieing down Montrose dangerman Colin McGlashan, the Links Park side mustered very little threat over the course of the 90 minutes, while County made chance after chance. Ten minutes before half-time the home side were 2-0 up. Ferries picked out McLeod with a reverse pass and the former Aberdeen winger turned and chipped over a cross for the unmarked Ross to bury a powerful header behind the stranded Larter. The woodwork kept Montrose in the tie in 55 minutes when McLeod ran on to Ferries' slip and drove a 12-yard pile driver past Larter which cannoned back off a post. On the hour McDonald got his marching orders and Montrose's chance of salvaging anything went with him. The former Keith player pulled off a blatant dive in the box under Bellshaw's challenge, clearly looking for a penalty, and referee Mike Pocock had no hesitation in showing McDonald a red card after the Montrose man spat at County's keeper. Five minutes later. Montrose were dead and buried when Ross ran on to Hutchison's huge clearance and lifted a clever header over the advancing Larter. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Neale Cooper |
| Starting 11 | 1: Stephen Hutchison, 2: William (Billy) Herd, 3: David MacKay, 4: Johnston Bellshaw, 5: Steven Ferguson, 6: Julian Broddle, 7: Gerard Farrell, 8: Roy McBain, 9: Alexander (Sandy) Ross 3, 10: Keith (Billy) Ferries, 11: Andrew (Andy) MacLeod |
| Bench | 0: William Furphy, 0: Gordon Connelly, 0: Derek Adams |
| Montrose | |
| Manager | Dave Smith |
| Starting 11 | David Larter, Maver, Glass, Innes McDonald 2 1, Mark Craib, Mark Haro, Dave Fisher, Nicholas Ingram, Colin McGlashan, Scott Taylor, Kevin Tindal |
| Bench | Purves |