Date	Saturday, 03 October 2026
Competition	Scottish League Division 1
Fixture/Score	Ross County 4:1 Alloa Athletic
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Referee	Iain Snedden
Ross County
Manager	Stuart (Ketts) Kettlewell
Starting 11	1: Bradley Foster, 4: Akil Wright, 5: Lewis Reid, 6: Connor Randall 1 1, 7: Richard Chin, 9: Brian Graham 1 (1 pen), 11: Kieran Phillips, 16: Chris Hamilton 1, 22: Adam Emslie, 23: Ross Docherty, 43: Josh Reid 1
Bench	30: Nickolas Suman, 2: Adam Forrester, 8: Dean Cornelius, 10: Jamie Lindsay, 15: Dylan Smith, 17: Ricco Diack, 19: Luke McCarvel, 20: Jack Turner, 28: Jamie Williamson
Alloa Athletic
Manager	Andy Graham
Starting 11	Ross Stewart, Calum Waters 1, Joseph McGrath, Owen Foster 1, Scott Taggart 1, Luca Ross, Grant Marchant, Brandon Forbes, Aiden Crilly 1, Steven Hetherington 1, Matthew Aitken
Bench	Josh Walker, Max Cameron, Luke Rankin, Flynn McCafferty, Joe Ellison, Lawton Green
Attendance	2,681
Match Report	Ross County Goal Scorers: Brian Graham (37' Pen.) Connor Randall (68') Josh Reid (75') Chris Hamilton (87') Ross County Substitutions: Luke McCarvel for Adam Emslie (62') Jamie Lindsay for Ross Docherty (62') Jack Turner for Brian Graham (71') Ricco Diack for Richard Chin (79') Adam Forrester for Connor Randall (79') Ross County Caution: Connor Randall (64') Alloa Athletic Goal Scorer: Scott Taggart (92') Alloa Athletic Substitutions: Max Cameron for Brandon Forbes (65') Josh Walker for Luca Ross (84') Flynn McCafferty for Aiden Crilly (84') Luke Rankin for Matthew Aitken (84') Alloa Athletic Cautions: Owen Foster (19') Calum Waters (50') Aiden Crilly (55') Steven Hetherington (77') Report By Paul Chalk for the Press & Journal. Ross County 4 Alloa Athletic 1 Ruthless Ross County kept their goals flowing as a 4-1 home win against Alloa Athletic ensured they remain top of League One. The Staggies maintained their position in first place, with Hamilton Academical trailing them only on goal difference following their 2-1 tea-time win over Peterhead. The defeat for Alloa saw them slip one position to sixth, leaving them six points away from the top four. A hotly disputed penalty won by Adam Emslie after what seemed like a fair Scott Taggart challenge led to captain Brian Graham putting County ahead late in the first half. Connor Randall fired a rocket shot high into the net in the second half after increased pressure from the Wasps before academy graduate defender Josh Reid rifled home a third goal, with substitute Luke McCarvel the provider of both these goals. Chris Hamilton knocked home a late fourth goal before Taggart sensationally scored a consolation from his own half in the final moment of drama. County manager Stuart Kettlewell, whose side have won seven and drawn once over their eight matches this term, felt Alloa were tricky opponents, but was delighted that, even though not at their sparkling best, County delivered big goals at big moments. He said: “Parts of our performance were okay today. Other parts we felt as if we came up with a wee bit short in quality that we’ve seen time and again. “But I think it’s a great sign for us not quite to be at our top level and still score four goals and still get another three points. “I felt at times they were trying to open up and trying to play. So for us, there were a few wee problems to solve from within it. But it’s just another professional victory from us. “We probably needed that wee bit of quality at that time because we felt we got a little bit scrappy 10-15 minutes after half-time. Just said that to them there, the two bits of quality really settle us. “Then you start taking more opportunities. We tweaked our shape, probably felt we had to get a wee bit more control in the middle of the pitch at that stage in the game. But listen, I think we thoroughly deserved the victory.” Kettlewell believed referee Iain Snedden was right to award his team their penalty, but felt a sense of frustration overall by the official’s handling of the match. He added: “It looks like a penalty. I thought I heard the contact at the time. “Just in general, I think both teams were really frustrated by the tone that was set by the fouls that were given in the game. I don’t think that that’s conducive to a good game of football. “I don’t think it’s conducive to any flow to a game of football. There’s an instant in the game where the referee wants to come back and give a yellow card. And he can’t wait to do it. “And we’re on a brilliant counter-attack at that point. We’re on a brilliant attack. And he blows up. “The supporters are here to watch the attack. They’re not here to watch him steaming over with a yellow card. And I think the thing that frustrates me with that is you can let the game breathe.” Alloa manager Andy Graham didn’t agree with the penalty call and was proud of his players’ efforts overall against an impressive County side. He said: “First and foremost, Ross County are flying at the moment. They had scored 22 goals in their last two games and not conceded. “We knew coming here it would be really tough and so it proved. I feel the penalty was really soft and it was a kick in the teeth for the boys after they worked so hard. “In the second half, we were right in the game. If we had got the next goal, the game could have changed. But Connor Randall goes and sticks one in the top corner. “I’ve been angry and upset as manager at times, but I can’t be that today. We lost a penalty and conceded goals with two unbelievable finishes from Ross County. “There’s not much you can do. The players gave me absolutely everything. “We also saw another goal of the season with Scott’s goal from his own half. It was an unbelievable strike. I know it means nothing in the grand scheme of things but I felt the boys deserved something for their efforts.” From the County team which posted a club record 14-0 win over Hearts B the week before in the KDM Evolution Trophy, Kettlewell made four changes. In came defenders Josh Reid and Lewis Reid, winger Richard Chin and forward and Graham. McCarvel, Dylan Smith and Partick Thistle loanee Ricco Diack dropped to the bench, while left-back Lewis Strapp missed out through injury. Goalkeeper Nick Suman, who has just joined County on loan from Aberdeen, was on the bench. Alloa were missing Kyle Glasgow through Scotland under-21 commitments, while Stefan Scougall failed to recover from an injury sustained in last week’s 2-2 Challenge Cup draw with Gala Fairydean Rovers. With injuries also sidelining David Devine and Luke Donnelly, Athletic had just five outfield substitutes. It was a nip-and-tuck start, with Alloa showing as much attacking intent as their hosts. Yet, the first real chance saw Graham’s hooked shot cleared off the goal-line by Joseph McGrath just before home goalkeeper Brad Foster saved a net-bound shot from Luca Ross. A fine move on 23 minutes started by Josh Reid and involving a swift pass from Adam Emslie ended with Chin firing a low drive just off target. Graham lifted a shot over the crossbar on 32 minutes when he reacted quickest to get on the end of a Ross Docherty knock-down from Josh Reid’s cross. Eight minutes before the break, County were handed the chance to take the lead when Emslie was adjudged to have been illegally brought to ground by Taggart. Graham sent his spot-kick into the bottom left corner for his 12th goal of the season, drawing level with Phillips after his five-goal display last week. Alloa had more of the ball in the second period, yet Phillips, then substitute McCarvel, came closest to finding the net with quickfire efforts. One came off the woodwork and the other was saved by Stewart on 65 minutes as County almost made it 2-0. However, just a few minutes later, Randall crashed an unstoppable shot high into the top corner of the net after a fine build-up move and an assist from McCarvel. And, with 16 minutes left, Reid scored with a high angled shot past Stewart after he was also lined up by McCarvel. Chris Hamilton put the icing on the cake with a simple low shot past Stewart from close range after meeting a cross from Diack. Yet, there was time for Taggart to shoot from his own half and beat Brad Foster, who could not stop it for a single moment to savour for Alloa. County, who are the division’s top scorers with 26 goals, have now bagged 38 goals over their last eight games in all competitions, aided by the rout of Hearts, but also showing they are a class apart in most matches.