| Date | Saturday, 09 October 1993 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish Qualifying Cup |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 1:1 Inverness Thistle |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | |
| Referee | |
| Comments | Match Report Report by Bill McAllister for the Press & Journal. Ross County 1 Inverness Thistle 1 Ross County have had plans drawn up for an all-seater stadium at Victoria Park to help their push for a Scottish League place. But their bid to put a funding package together for such a project was robbed of an immediate bonus on Saturday when an injury-time equaliser plucked away the Scottish Cup place that had seemed in their grasp. Ian POLWORTH, so often a Scottish Cup hero with Caley, was Jags' last-gasp lifesaver with a goal which could cost County anything up to £50,000 should they lose the replay. Polworth said: "I thought we'd blown it, then Calum Maclean nodded it down to me and I hit it on the turn. The ball seemed to take ages to creep inside the post. "But it was nothing more than we deserved for our second-half fightback and I'm convinced we can go on to clinch that Scottish Cup spot plus land a tempting home semi-final with Clach or Rothes." County, however, will have Cammy Robertson and Gary Campbell back from offshore duty for Saturday's replay. Manager Bobby Wilson said, "We had the chances to put the game beyond Thistle's reach but we didn't take them." The Dingwall side had led from 22 minutes when Barry WILSON neatly slotted home amid furious Jags protests. Brian Grant afterwards acknowledged he had been offside, though the referee may have judged he was not interfering with play. That goal seemed like being enough as, despite Thistle's brave push, they could not create good chances. Manager Henrick Madej deserves credit for leaving himself short at the back to bring on Tommy Macdonald as an extra forward. Jags showed spirt but it seemed they were to be denied until Polworth again conjured up his flair for the telling strike. County remain a good side but their creative midfield, the fulcrum of past success, is not firing on all cylinders this term. Gordon Connolly lacks sharpness through missing pre-season training because of injury and Lochaber lad Tommy Drummond has completely lost confidence. If that cup spot is to be only delayed. County need to rekindle their midfield fire. Robby Williamson, Chris Somerville and Alan Duff were County's top men, while Billy Wilson, Alan Stevenson and Jags' Darren MacLachlin, also took the eye. It was a tense, scrappy affair, in difficult conditions. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Robert (Bobby) Wilson |
| Starting 11 | 1: Stephen Hutchison, 2: Christopher (Chris) Somerville, 3: Craig Reid, 4: Robert (Robbie) Williamson, 5: Johnston Bellshaw, 6: Alexander (Sandy) MacLeod, 7: Tommy Drummond, 8: Brian Grant, 9: Alan Duff, 10: Gordon Connelly, 11: Barry Wilson 1 |
| Bench | 0: Paul Houston, 0: Keith (Billy) Ferries |