Date	Saturday, 20 August 1938
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 3:1 Keith
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee	Mr. Tom MacLean
Ross County
Manager	George Barrie
Starting 11	1: Roy Applegate, 2: Roddie Munro, 3: A Jack, 4: Adam Forsyth, 5: George Barrie, 6: ??? Alloway, 7: J.A MacKay 2, 8: Neil Gillies 1, 9: Ernest Gowl, 10: J Wood, 11: J A Sutherland
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 3 Keith 1 Ross County and Keith both played their first game in the Highland League for the current season on Saturday. The venue was Victoria Park, Dingwall. The home team was almost at full strength, although at the last moment changes from the selected team had to be made on the left wing. Keith, on the other hand, were without Mitchell, left back, unfit, and two very young players in Cowie, jr., and Ogg had to be included in the front line. Keith started off with a rush and very soon Applegate was called upon. The County retaliated and Mackay made a valiant attempt to get through, but was crowded out. Even play followed with Jack as good as his master. Jack was lying well up the field and Munro was covering him effectively. In an offensive Neil Gillies sent in a rocket shot which, however, went wide. There was little or no wind, yet play appeared to be always on one side of the field. Mackay was neglected, yet he made good use of the ball when he got it and was always dangerous. Indeed when Gillies did get an opportunity to open up the right wing the combined work with Mackay was a feature. On one occasion Gillies gave Mackay the ball and ran out to the wing for a pass, which he got to perfection. He crashed the ball into goal and only the upright saved a score. Keith's most successful attacks came from the right, where Cowie was clever in carrying the ball up the line and shooting. Twice he grazed the crossbar with lovely shots. A spectacular bout of headwork between Gowl and Gillies was amusing, but the centre's final header went bye. Then Applegate got a fright. A mix-up in the County defence saw Scott get away. From ten yards he shot hard at the goalkeeper. Applegate got down to it and the ball rose perpendicularly and descended on the wrong side of the net. It was a good save. Half-time arrived without any scoring and the general impression was that while neither team deserved to score on play, neither team could score. Except for incidents, the first 45 minutes were most unimpressive. On changing ends there was little improvement for a time. Both goalkeepers were called upon, certainly, but their work was by no means difficult. "Oh for a goal," sighed the crowd. The feeling was that if a goal were scored by either side play would waken up. Eventually after 65 minutes, Gillies obliged. The movement was started and finished by Gillies. He passed to Mackay who carried the ball up, cut in and shot. Goalkeeper Bremner saved at the expense of a corner. Sutherland took the place kick. Gowl connected with his head, but Cowie stopped it. The ball came to Gillies who drove it goalwards and it passed through a host of legs into the net. Bremner had no chance; he was unsighted. The crowd was correct. This goal stimulated the play. The pace increased. Priestley could be heard encouraging his vanguard and he followed his men up the field, with the result that the County defence was kept busy. Ross County were not idle, however, but it was somewhat of a surprise when Mackay increased the lead. A foul kick well out taken by Jack saw the ball go to Mackay. From 18 yards he shot towards his off upright. Bremner tried to smother the ball, but it slipped under him and into the net. Mackay got a well-deserved cheer. Within two minutes Keith had reduced the leeway, Oag sending in an unsaveable shot from six yards. Thus encouraged, Keith tried strenuously for the equaliser. It was then that centre-half Barrie shone most. He had been playing most effectively, if quietly, prior to this. Now he took the defence on his shoulders and he came through the ordeal with flying colours. It was well for Ross County. Such pressure as applied by Keith could not last and gradually the County came more into the attack. Mackay scored with his head, but was ruled offside. But Mackay could not be denied. A Sutherland cross was unselfishly let pass by Gowl to Mackay. The latter shot and the ball flashed into the net at the bottom of the near post. This practically ended the game. The play that followed was of little interest, and the final was Ross County, 3; Keith, 1. Ross County were well served in defence, Applegate being the star. Munro covered up Jack well. The latter improves with every match. Barrie was sound throughout without being spectacular. His wing men were both good. Mackay, Gillies and Gowl were the best of the forwards in the order mentioned. Wood and Sutherland did not hit it off, but it was from two crosses from the latter that Mackay scored. Links was the outstanding man in the visiting team, with head, feet and on occasion hands. The young players in the Keith team all did well, but none better than Cowie at outside right.