Ross County Database

DateMonday, 11 February 2019
CompetitionScottish Cup
Fixture/ScoreRoss County 2:2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
VenueGlobal Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance2,862
RefereeJohn Beaton
CommentsMatch Report
Report by Amy MacBeath for the BBC.
Ross County 2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2
Josh Mullin netted a dramatic injury-time equaliser to keep Ross County in the Scottish Cup after a pulsating Highland derby in Dingwall.
Inverness took an early lead through Aaron Doran's rasping long-range drive.
Ross Stewart levelled 10 minutes after the break before Brad McKay restored Caley Thistle's lead.
But with time ticking away, Mullin beat the offside trap to strike and force a replay, with the winner travelling to Dundee United in the quarter-finals.
This was a typically feisty derby between these two sides with County pushing deep into injury time for a late winner, but it was not to be.
The sides will meet again in Inverness on Tuesday, 19 February.
It may not have been a sell-out but the Highland derby more than gave those hardy fans who turned out on a chilly February evening some thrilling entertainment.
From John Beaton's opening whistle the tackles were flying in all over the park but no more than you would expect from either team.
In his pre-match interview, John Robertson said he had the belief in his side. Not just to win the game, but to go on and actually win the trophy.
And when Doran fired home in the first half that belief could easily be witnessed in his players.
County were better in the second period and when substitute Stewart levelled from a fine Michael Gardyne cross, it looked as if there was to be only one winner.
But football has a habit of throwing up surprises and McKay popped at a corner up to lash home and turn the game on its head.
However substitute Mullin had the last laugh when he raced clear and fired low past Mark Ridgers, sealing a replay that the hosts may have started to think was beyond them.
Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson: "We always felt there would be one more chance in the game. Josh is well onside and does great to finish it.
"The players never know when they're beaten. Sometimes it's not pretty and you have to put your shoulder to the wheel and the players deserve all the credit for that.
"I don't think either us would have wanted a replay. We're delighted we're still in the hat."
Inverness CT manager John Robertson: "It's just about being street-smart. They stopped.
"You just keep defending but they've let Josh Mullin through and he's scored. That sums up our season. We've been in the lead and given away a goal at the end. We now have a replay to play so we'll just get on with it.
"We felt we were getting close to that third goal which would have finished the game off. We didn't see where their goal was going to come from. That's the difference. That's why we're fourth in the league and County are top."
Ross County
ManagerSteven Ferguson Stuart Kettlewell
Starting 111: Scott Fox, 2: Marcus Fraser, 6: Ross Draper, 7: Michael Gardyne, 8: Jamie Lindsay, 9: Billy Mckay, 12: Andrew Boyle, 15: Keith Watson, 16: Lewis Spence, 19: Brian Graham, 28: Kenny Van der Weg
Bench21: Ross Munro, 10: Declan Mcmanus, 14: Joshua Mullin 1, 27: Ross Stewart 1, 43: James Wallace, 44: Tom Grivosti, 46: Jack Murray
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
ManagerJohn Robertson
Starting 11Mark Ridgers, Carl Tremarco, Joseph Chalmers 1, Coll Donaldson, Jamie McCart, Liam Polworth, Aaron Doran 1, Tom Walsh, Sean Welsh, Jordan White, Brad McKay 1
BenchCameron Mackay, Shaun Rooney, Darren McCauley, Nathan Austin, Charlie Trafford, Kevin McHattie, Roddy MacGregor