Date	Wednesday, 25 October 1989
Competition	Inverness Cup
Fixture/Score	Ross County 2:4 Fort William
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee
Ross County
Manager	Robert (Bobby) Wilson
Starting 11	1: Derek Rudkin, 2: Christopher (Chris) Somerville, 3: Gary Campbell, 4: Robert (Robbie) Williamson, 5: Scott Lemmon 1, 6: Don Cowie (SNR), 7: George Stewart 1, 8: Cameron Robertson, 9: Barry Wilson, 10: Gordon Connelly, 11: Lee O'Brien
Bench	0: Alan Robertson, 0: Alex (Nero) McDonald
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 2 Fort William 4 IN OTHER week of woe for Ross County, Fort William knocked them out of a second cup competition midweek. In the fortnight since their Qualifying Cup semi final exit against Elgin City, Ross County has had the unenviable record of having lost five matches — two Cup and three League. On Wednesday evening in the first round of the Inverness Cup competition, County had by far and away the greatest percentage of pressure, yet they were beaten 2-4. Much of the fault for the defeat lay at their own doorstep, for no club can afford to “gift” goals to their opponents, and expect them to reciprocate. Ross County have had to work very hard for the goals they do score, but the need for a marksman to finish off good outfield work is a must. The most successful of the County attackers over the season, so far, have been defenders Chris Somerville and Scott Lemmon, who, when circumstances avail themselves, are always up with the attack with devastating affect. However, of late, their frontline “expeditions” have been somewhat tempered because of a lack of cover in the nether regions, as the County goal has been threatened on innumerable occasions by teams, which have taken advantage of a square-defence with no speedy backup to counter-act the quick break-through from a missed tackle or a mis-placed pass. Three of Fort William’s four goals came from such a situation, as one player left it for another, and an opponent stepped in between them to take the ball, and direct it past keeper Rudkin. Within half-an-hour on Wednesday night, Ross County were three goals down, and the only times Rudkin had touched the ball, was when he had taken it out of the net! Ross County had all the pressure, but the final pass was being swept up by an opponent, whose fitness was never in doubt, for over the piece, one would have said that Fort William had the edge on County in this department. Sharpness and speed off the mark are two basics which could be worked on, and, of course, stamina-building. The flair and endeavour shown against Keith in the Qualifying Cup have been recaptured only now and then, but when in full flight County are a formidable force capable of scoring goals with the power and precision shown on the Keith occasion. The Fort William game provided some exciting and entertaining play, especially in the second half, when County were seldom out of their opponents’ half as they pressed home some ‘blistering attacks. The Fort keeper was in brilliant form as he saved a penalty kick from Chris Somerville and cleanly took a fast shot from the same player at the corner of his goal. One felt that County might just make it, and Cammie Stewart, Invergordon, confidently forecast a final 4-3 score in their favour. However, if the penalty had been converted; if another goal-bound shot from Scott Lemmon had not been nudged off the line; and had the forwards been on target, it might well have been a 4-3 result for County, who struck with two goals — one a brilliant header from Lemmon. The Fort wrapped the game up with a break-away counter late in the proceedings.