Date	Saturday, 12 March 1988
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 2:1 Keith
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee
Ross County
Manager	Robert (Bobby) Wilson
Starting 11	1: John Sutter, 2: Christopher (Chris) Somerville, 3: Alan Gair, 4: Cameron Robertson, 5: Scott Lemmon 1, 6: Alan Brown, 7: Keith (Billy) Ferries, 8: Albert Allan, 9: Gary Robertson 1, 10: Gordon Connelly, 11: Donald MacKay
Bench	0: Don Cowie (SNR), 0: David MacRae
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 2 Keith 1 ROSS COUNTY had a marvellous boost in their run-up to the McEwan’s Lager North of Scotland Cup Final with Inverness Thistle, at Telford Street, Inverness, on Saturday, 26th March, when they defeated Keith at Victoria Park, Dingwall, last Saturday. “A goal-less draw” was one prediction before the start, and probably the “prophet” would have been right on an ordinary day in an ordinary season, but on this occasion one team had an advantage — probably more than one — over the other. Ross County’s Manager, Bobby Wilson, knew something of his former club's background, and faced with his own difficulties, brought about by injury and illness, he had to bring his own judgement to bear in the selection of the County team and what an inspired choice it was! Albert Allan and Alan (Toast) Brown were introduced into the “back-four” and both turned in tremendous performances. Young “Toast” was a revelation, for he has matured in leaps and bounds over the past season, coming to maturity really in the Reserve team. Despite his “own-goal” in the first minute of the second half, Alan played his heart out, tackling strongly and well, and using the ball to its best advantage. Albert Allan’s return is a welcome boost. The back line of Chris Somerville, Scott Lemmon, Albert Allan, Alan Brown, and Alan Gair, snuffed out whatever advantages the Keith forwards had in experience, displaying great understanding, tackling with grim determination, covering up with alacrity, and seldom wasting a ball in clearing their lines. So invincible were they at one stage that the first touch keeper Suttar got of the ball was in the 20th minute, when he came out to punch away a corner kick. Another inspired move on Bobby's part was to appoint Scott Lemmon captain for the day. Scott certainly rose to the occasion, playing with confidence and coolness. Who will forget his glorious equalising goal in the 65th minute? It came right out of the top category — a brilliantly directed header from a Cammie Robertson free kick, which took the Keith keeper completely by surprise as it went between him and his right-hand post. A pity the “Sunday Post” produced the wrong print on their back-page, for the Ross County player concerned in that particular photo was Alan Brown, with Gordon Connolly lying handy — nothing to do with the goal. What of Gordon Connolly? Well, what can one say about this particular player, who more than any other — apart from Bobby Wilson — has brought the best out of his colleagues in ability and doggedness, and who himself has provided the fans with entertainment of the highest order as he takes on opponents and with great dexterity and skill adds a touch of class to the simplest of moves. Gordon did much to lift the County ranks when they went a goal down in the 46th minute, and with his unceasing probing, darting runs, and collaboration with Donald Mackay, which involved the fast-running, tricky winger Keith (Billy) Ferries, County were seen at their best. These three effortlessly took the Keith defence apart, and with a little more luck, victory would have been even more complete. In the 46th minute, after a keenly contested first half, unfortunate Alan Brown got his head to a Keith free kick taken by Matheson, and the visitors went into the lead with confidence surging. However, playing their hearts out, when other teams might well have succumbed to pressure, Ross County struck back. Scott Lemmon got the deserved equaliser, and then Gary Robertson, who has been attracting his own personal fan club from Alness, broke through the middle on a pass from Mackay, and in the 72nd minute put County completely in the driving seat. Bobby Wilson's tactics had paid off, and as the game drew to its close his players were still firing on all cylinders as they swept upfield on attack. It was an accomplished performance, and must have given Jock Macdonald and the Inverness Thistle team much food for thought. They had taken in the County game, when their own match with Rothes was postponed. It showed County has strength in depth and can field all sorts of successful combinations on a match day. The changes in Saturday's line-up had been brought about by injury to David Jackson, indisposition of James Mackay, and the resting of captain Don Cowie, who nevertheless was one of the “youths”.