Date	Saturday, 03 January 2004
Competition	Scottish League Division 1
Fixture/Score	Ross County 1:0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Venue	Victoria Park
Attendance	6,120
Referee	John Rowbotham
Comments	Match Report Published: Press & Journal 5/1/2004 Reporter: Paul Third Ross County 1 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0 County are back in race- star player Hugh Robertson says Ross County are back in the race for the First Division title following Saturday's derby win. The player, who has played as a forward, midfield and in defence for Alex Smith's side, was man of the match with an excellent display at left back against John Robertson's side. Stuart Golabek's own goal seven minutes from time settled a pulsating encounter, with more than 6,000 supporters treated to yet another fantastic match from the two Highland teams. County's Robertson said: "The second half was unbelievable and I didn't know who was going to get the goal. It always looking as if one would be enough and we were fortunate to get the vital winner. "When you see the scores in the First Division it was a great result for us St. Johnstone and Queen of the South drew while Falkirk lost, so it was a massive weekend for us. Clyde were the only team to win, but I think we're right back in it now. "In the back of our minds, the thought was there we would struggle to come back if we were trailing 1-0 to Caley, but we caused them problems. "We really put our game together in the second half in what was one of the most important games of the season." Robertson hailed debutant Jim Lauchlan for his role in the victory and substitute Conor Gethins, who had a vital part in the goal. County manager Smith said "I thought the longer the game went on the better our chances were of scoring a goal, albeit a slightly fortunate one. But I do think we created a lot of chances in the second half. Contention "It was a really important win for us and it pulls us right back in it. We are still in contention and we plan on being there at the end of the season." In an evenly matched first half Caley threatened from long range in the opening half hour before County Slowly came into the game. The second half was a stunning affair with spaces opening in defence for both teams to exploit. Golabek fired narrowly over the bar for Caley, while Steven McGarry failed to hit the target for County with just goalkeeper Mark Brown to beat. John Rankin's 25-yard effort was tipped round the post by Brown before Paul Ritchie headed over for the visitors and it looked as if a draw seemed the likely outcome until the late winner. Rankin's cross found Gethins unmarked at the back post and the County forward hit a driven ball back across goal which deflected off Caley defender Golabek's thigh and wrongfooted Brown in the visitors' goal. Caley Thistle manager Robertson said "It's a cruel way to lose any game, but in a derby it's even harder to take. It was a game I didn't think we were going to win it. "I said at half-time it would take something special or some good fortune for a goal to come and it proved to be the case with the winner. "Unfortunately, the fortune went with County."
Ross County
Manager	Alexander (Alex) Smith
Starting 11	1: Graeme Smith, 2: Sean Webb, 3: Hugh Robertson, 4: James Lauchlan, 5: David Hannah, 6: Mark McCulloch, 7: John Rankin, 8: Jamie McCunnie, 9: Steven McGarry, 10: David Winters, 11: Sean Higgins
Bench	0: Leslie Fridge, 0: Don (JNR) Cowie, 0: Stephen O'Donnell, 0: Conor Gethins, 0: Graham Bayne
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Manager	John Robertson
Starting 11	Mark Brown, Ross Tokely, Robert Mann, Stuart Golabek 1, Stuart McCaffrey, Roy McBain, Barry Wilson, Russell Duncan, Liam Keogh, Paul Ritchie, David Bingham
Bench	Michael Fraser, Grant Munro, Darran Thomson, David MacRae, Craig Macmillan