| Date | Saturday, 05 April 1997 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 3 |
| Fixture/Score | Albion Rovers 1:2 Ross County |
| Venue | Cliftonhill |
| Attendance | 704 |
| Referee | Ian Taylor |
| Comments | Match Report Report by Fiona Hill for the Daily Record. Albion Rovers 1 Ross County 2 David Byrne reckons ref Ian Taylor robbed him of a chance to end his career in a blaze of glory. The 36-year-old's 57 minute red card completed a miserable day for Rovers whose promotion bid now looks all but over--along with Byrne's playing career. He walked after a second yellow card but claimed: "The referee was very poor. I thought the second booking was a very bad decision. "Realistically, we're now out of the promotion chase." Byrne is hanging up his boots at the end of the season and said: "It would have been nice to retire after we won promotion, but I am too tired to continue another season." Gary Wood struck first for County after a goalmouth scramble just before the break. Their second came from a stunning Stuart Golabek 20-yard free kick a couple of minutes into the second half. Lee Gardiner's last minute penalty was little consolation for Rovers. Gaffer Vinnie Moore said: "To say that I am extremely disappointed is an understatement." County boss Neale Cooper said: "We have beaten Rovers in the last three matches so I thought they would have been really up for it. It was a difficult match and the pitch was terrible." Goal hero Wood agreed and claimed: "It is the worst pitch I have ever seen." |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Neale Cooper |
| Starting 11 | 1: Kevin Morgan, 2: Stuart Golabek 1, 3: William Furphy, 4: Robert (Robbie) Williamson, 5: William (Billy) Herd, 6: Roy McBain, 7: Gerard Farrell, 8: Kenneth Gilbert, 9: Garry Wood 1 1, 10: Keith (Billy) Ferries, 11: Derek Adams |
| Bench | 0: Steven Ferguson, 0: Andrew (Andy) MacLeod, 0: John Hewitt |
| Albion Rovers | |
| Manager | Vinnie Moore |
| Starting 11 | Stephen Ross, Neil McKilligan, Mark Pickering 1, David Byrne 2 1, Paul Martin, Tony Shepherd 1, Brian Boal, Lee Gardner 1, Willie Watters, Vincent Moore 1, David McKenzie |
| Bench | John Dickson, Thomas Walker, Gerard Kelly |