Ross County Database

DateSaturday, 08 October 1994
CompetitionScottish League Division 3
Fixture/ScoreForfar Athletic 1:0 Ross County
VenueStation Park
Attendance650
RefereeGeorge Cran
CommentsMatch Report
Report from the Ross-shire Journal.
Forfar Athletic 1 Ross County 0
It is a completely new ball-game these days, and besides having their opponents to contend with, the Northern lads have to accept the inconsistencies of officials, who barely compare with the Highland League counterparts. Seemingly at Forfar, what could have been a free-flowing game was spoiled by six bookings--four from Forfar--and hold-ups for inevitable off-side decisions.
Some doubt exists as to whether Willie Furphy was the last-player between an opponent and the goal at Hampden the previous week, when he tackled him and brought him down.
Furphy and Billy Herd should return to action this weekend, so there should be fewer headaches for Manager Bobby Wilson.
At Forfar the home club almost took a sensational early lead after three minutes, when a high ball dropped into the box, and Ross slipped it to Kopel, whose shot from a tight angle beat the keeper, but crashed from the underside of the bar and was Scrambled clear.
A minute later, Ross brought out a brilliant save from MacMillan with a powerfully struck shot from eighteen yards. From the corner kick Archibald directed a header back across goal, but it was just wide of the target.
County played themselves out of trouble after nine minutes and caught Forfar on the hop. However the danger was cleared, and later in the half, Kopel picked Ross out in the box, but his shot went wide.
No scoring in the first half, but twelve minutes into the second period, Forfar took a deserved lead, when McPhee collected the ball outside the box, looking up, and chose his spot in top corner of the net before bulleting the ball home.
Brian Grant attempted to even the score with a well directed free kick from outside the box, but keeper Arthur gathered the ball safely.
Despite County's best attempts to salvage a point, Forfar held on under increasing pressure as the game closed.
Ross County
ManagerRobert (Bobby) Wilson
Starting 111: Donald (Don) MacMillan, 2: Christopher (Chris) Somerville, 3: Gordon Connelly, 4: Robert (Robbie) Williamson, 5: Alexander (Sandy) MacLeod, 6: Craig Reid, 7: Cameron Robertson, 8: Keith (Billy) Ferries, 9: Andrew (Andy) MacLeod, 10: Brian Grant, 11: Alan Duff
Bench0: Stephen Hutchison, 0: David MacKay, 0: Russell McFee
Forfar Athletic
ManagerTommy Campbell
Starting 11Gordon Arthur, Scott Kopel, Ian McPhee 1, Bobby Mann, Eric Archibald, Alan McKillop, Steve McCormick, Neil Irvine, Sandy Ross, David Bingham, Hugh O'Neill
BenchIan Heddle, Trialist, Craig Stephen