Date	Tuesday, 23 January 1996
Competition	Scottish League Division 3
Fixture/Score	Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1:1 Ross County
Venue	Caledonian Stadium
Attendance	4,931
Referee	Sandy Roy
Comments	Match Report Report by Mike Tremlett for the Press & Journal. Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Ross County 1 A Tale of two of poachers saw Caledonian Thistle and Ross County serve up a superb advert for Third Division football amid crackling tension at packed Telford Street, Inverness, last night. A 1-1 draw--a fair reflection on proceedings in a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes--saw two fully committed sides take a point each, allowing Brechin City, 3-0 winners over Alloa, to sneak into top spot in a promotion race which is gathering pace by the week. In a riveting opening 20 minutes, Caley Thistle had the look of runaway winners after Iain Stewart, with his 19th goal of the season, put the home side in front, watched by a record-breaking 4,931 crowd after a five-minute delay to allow the hoards inside. Gradually, Ross County forced their way back into the game and for much of the second half they looked well worth an equaliser supplied by striker Colin Milne which set up a grandstand finish, with County finishing probably the more likely to snatch three points. County boss Bobby Wilson said: "Coming here tonight I would have settled for a draw. In the end I had to, but I'm delighted with the way we rose to the challenge after going behind very early. We got stronger as the game went on and looked the more likely winners in the second half." Caley Thistle counterpart Steve Paterson heaved a sigh of relief after the final whistle and admitted: "A t the end of the season we might end of bring very grateful that we didn't lose tonight." It was action all the way, with Brian Thomson and Mile Teasdale both testing County keeper Steve Hutchison early on. Stewart hit the mark in 12 minutes when he was right on the spot to touch home from point-blank range when a Teasdale angled drive took a deflection which wrong-footed the County keeper. With Caley Thistle eager to press home their advantage, Hutchison pulled off a brilliant save to keep County in the game when a McArthur free kick was touched on by Thomson and taken on the half-volley by Ross. County showed sighs that they were not prepared to lie down in 26 minutes when Brian Grant held off Noble and sent a chip from the corner of the 18-yard box dipping just over the bar with Calder stranded. Early in the second half Brian Thomson sent an overhead kick just over the County bar from 10 yards out as Caley pushed to extend their lead. In 68 minutes Gordon Connelly, who was beginning to exert his influence in the vital midfield area, spread the ball wide for Milne and his low cross flew across the six-yard box inches in front of the unmarked Somerville, with the home contingent in the crowd holding their breath. But in 74 minutes County got the equaliser they deserved when Furphy forced the ball across the Caley Thistle goalmouth after Hercher half-cleared and Milne stabbed the ball over the line from point-blank range. That sparked County off and they came closest to grabbing a 20-yard shot inches over the bar. And 19 minutes from time Calder produced the save of the game to claw a curling 20-yard Furphy shot out of the postage-stamp corner of the net with the County fans off their feet to celebrate what looked a certain winner. Even in the final minute the issue was still in doubt, Somerville heading a Hercher shot off the line with Hutchison beaten.
Ross County
Manager	Robert (Bobby) Wilson
Starting 11	1: Stephen Hutchison, 2: William Furphy, 3: Stuart Golabek, 4: Christopher (Chris) Somerville, 5: William (Billy) Herd, 6: David MacKay, 7: Johnston Bellshaw, 8: Gordon Connelly, 9: Colin Milne 1, 10: Andrew (Andy) MacLeod, 11: Brian Grant
Bench	0: Robert (Robbie) Williamson, 0: Keith (Billy) Ferries, 0: Jamie MacPherson
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Manager	Steve Paterson
Starting 11	Jim Calder, Iain McArthur, Richard Hastings, Graeme Bennett, Mike Noble, Davie Ross, Mike Teasdale, John Scott, Iain Stewart 1, Charlie Christie, Alan Hercher
Bench	Mark McAllister, Dave McGinlay, Brian Thomson