Date	Saturday, 11 October 1997
Competition	Scottish League Division 3
Fixture/Score	Ross County 2:1 Queen's Park
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee	Sandy Roy
Ross County
Manager	Neale Cooper
Starting 11	1: Stephen Hutchison, 2: Mark Haro, 3: William (Billy) Herd 1, 4: David MacKay, 5: Steven Ferguson, 6: Roy McBain, 7: Thomas Callaghan, 8: Kenneth Gilbert, 9: Gerard Farrell, 10: Richard Hart, 11: Derek Adams 1 (1 pen)
Bench	0: Alexander Taylor, 0: Connor Campbell, 0: Alexander (Sandy) Ross
Queen's Park
Manager	Stewart Houston
Starting 11	Lindsay Hamilton, Ross Caven, Graeme Elder 1, Ian Maxwell, Barry Rossiter, Jim Mercer 1, David Arbuckle, Martin Hardie, Scott Edgar, Peter McNamee, Paul O'Brien
Bench	Danny Ferry, Iain Fitzpatrick, Garry Orr
Attendance	1,039
Match Report	Ross County Goal Scorers: Billy Herd (46') Derek Adams (77' Pen.) Ross County Substitution: Alex Taylor for Tom Callaghan (61') Queen's Park Goal Scorer: Jim Mercer (9') Queen's Park Substitutions: Danny Ferry for Jim Mercer (80') Garry Orr for Scott Edgar (84') Queen's Park Caution: Graeme Elder (?) Report from the North Star. Ross County 2 Queen's Park 1 County back on top after narrow victory Division Three Ross County 2 Queen’s Park 1 Comeback keeper Steve Hutchison helped Ross County back to the top of Division Three with a string of super saves against Queen’s Park Dingwall on Saturday. Making only his second competitive appearance of the season, ‘Hutchie’ recovered from a shaky start, to turn in an inspired display which delighted County manager Neale Cooper, “Steve was outstanding for us, and he made a couple of important stops at crucial times in the match,” enthused Cooper. But County are still being linked with Aberdeen misfit Nicky Walker, who they see as the idea man to coach their young goalkeepers. County are still awaiting a reply from Aberdeen on the availability of the player. Cooper also singled out Mark Haro for special praise, “This was probably Mark’s best display since he joined the club,” he said. Haro’s long throws were a constant menace to the Queens defence and the ex-Montrose man gave a 100 per cent to the cause. It was good to see Gerry Farrell back in action. His attacking wing back play, aligned to his close ball control were a delight to watch, and you could sense a buzz in the crowd every time he was in possession. But it was the often unsung Steve Ferguson who stole the show. The ex-Dunfermline player, who was outstanding on the right flank for County goal, was the architect of both County goals. Ferguson set up the equaliser in the 46th minutes when he swung in an awkward corner kick from the left that deceived the experienced Lyndsay Hamilton, in the Queens goal, and Billy Herd was on hand to nod the ball over the line. The winner arrived in the 77th minute, and it was Ferguson again who did the damage with a darting run into the box that ended in Queens defender Ian Maxwell’s mistimed tackle, and deadly Derek Adams duly obliged with the resultant spot kick. Gary Wood failed a late fitness test and young Richard Hart was let loose on Scotland’s meanest defence. It was Hart who came close to giving County an early lead when he headed narrowly past from a Kenny Gilbert cross, and Tommy Callaghan, who was looking in the mood, tested Lyndsay Hamilton with a long range effort in the eighth minute. But a minute later Queens were ahead when James Mercer spotted Hutchison off his line and neatly lobbed the keeper from outside the area. County almost grabbed a spectacular equaliser on 14 minutes when a flying header from Ferguson went inches over the upright. Roy McBain went on a mazy run, ten minutes later, that ended in the winger’s shot being blocked by Hamilton. The Spiders hit back and Edgar came close with a flashing header on the half-hour mark, and at the other end Dave MacKay neglected his defensive duties to make a 40 yard run that saw no takers for his final ball. Hutchison fought off the best save of the match in the 37th minute, when he somehow managed to block Edger's goal-bound shot. Then he got down well to a 30 yard effort from David Arbuckle as Queen’s threatened to increase their lead. In between those scares, Adams looked odds-on to equalise when put clean through by Ferguson, but Hamilton was quick of his line to clear the danger. Ferguson and Hart both came close before the break as County went all out for a leveller but the stubborn Queen’s defence held firm. The 1,000 plus crowd did not have long to wait after their half-time cuppa for the goal that County’s play Herd headed home from close range in the 46th minute after Hamilton blundered for the first time when he dropped Ferguson’s corner. The Queens defence got in a terrible tangle in the 52nd minute when Hamilton gave the ball away to Hart, but the young centre elected to pass to the offside Adams, instead of having a go himself. Hamilton was again in action, tipping over a McBain drive in the 63rd minute, and at the other end Hutchison was equal to a downward header from O'Brien. Mercer beat the offside trap to bend one inches past the upright after being set free by O’Brien, but then County got the break they deserved when Ferguson was upended inside the box and Adams coolly sent Hamilton the wrong way from the penalty spot. County survived a nervous final few minutes, and Hutchison again came to the rescue when he denied man of the match O’Brien at the death. It's back down the A 9 on Saturday for a first league visit to Dumbarton. Gary Wood is still doubtful, and Richard Hart should again get the nod up front in preference to Sandy Ross.