Date	Saturday, 05 September 1936
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 5:2 Inverness Clachnacuddin
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee
Ross County
Manager	The Management Committee
Starting 11	1: R MacNeil, 2: Willie (Wicky) Spence, 3: J Stewart, 4: J.G MacKay, 5: Robert Corbett, 6: J.A Ross, 7: D. Sutherland 1, 8: E Gillies, 9: J.A MacKay 3, 10: D Bowie, 11: D. Ross 1
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the North Star. Ross County 5 Inverness Clachnacuddin 2 Ross County, an excellent blend of youth and experience, carried off the premier prize in last Saturday's Highland League game at Victoria Park by convincingly defeating Inverness Clachnacuddin 5-2. Not even the most optimistic County team supporter expected the young side to register such an overwhelming victory of 5 goals to 2 against an eleven of Clach's experience and composition. The most pleasing feature, however, was that the County made one of the greatest discoveries in their history in the two extreme wingers, Sutherland and D. Ross. The former is the Edderton junior, who was playing his first senior game, and the latter an Invergordon product, whose last season's form brought many Highland League officials chasing after him for his signature. Despite many inducements he preferred to give his services to his own county club and it appears as if he is going to be a first-class capture. These two wingmen's brilliant play, against such worthy opponents as the Clach, was really bewildering. Repeatedly they left the opposing backs standing. At times the home wingers were able to do with the opposition what they liked. This was proved by the fact that the County's five goals all came from their splendid work. Rarely will the Clach defence experience such a gruelling afternoon. The appearance of two ex-County players for Clachnacuddin—Albert Macrae, at centre-half, and Urquhart at left back—brought out an unusually large attendance. The experiment of playing J. A. Mackay at centre-forward proved eminently successful. He had three well-taken goals. Another outstanding homester was Corbett, centre-half. His defensive tactics were perfect and his distribution of the ball was flawless. Along with his skilful clubmates, J. G. Mackay and J. Ross, the half-line was the backbone of a team which was strong in every division. For his second senior test, Spence, right back, came out of his ordeal with flying colours, and his sound play helped to form a defence that earned considerable credit. At the opening, Clach impressed as if they were to record a runaway victory, four successive corners being awarded to them within the first ten minutes. The unexpected happened, however, the homesters sensationally opening the scoring against the run of play. Gillies put D. Ross, the home left winger, in possession. He cutely slipped past Lawson and although Mac Angus came out to narrow the angle, the winger's shot found the net. Excitement now became intense as the visitors strove desperately to retrieve their position. At this critical time, the home defence was severely tested but not a waver was apparent, Corbett being a tower of strength in frustrating the visitors' attempts. Watt had a fine opportunity to equalise from a free-kick just outside the penalty area, but he sent the ball high over the cross-bar. Eluding the Clach's defence, Mackay went right through to add number two, his shot entering the net off the upright. He repeated this success a few minutes later with one of the most spectacular goals ever seen at Victoria Park. Lying on the ground he beautifully hooked the ball into the net. Although the Clach were three goals down, they fought back stubbornly and at times it was only a sound home defence, in which Spence excelled, that prevented them from success. The Clach resumed with great determination and vigour and within ten minutes Mackinnon reduced the lead. He headed Mackenzie's cross into the net. Immediately after Mackenzie was presented with an open goal but he badly missed this glorious chance of narrowing the margin. At the other end, Urquhart miskicked and the ball flashed past his own upright with Mac Angus well beaten. Then D. Ross raised the home supporters' hopes with a terrific shot that struck the side of the net. From this point the homesters were supreme, dictating the run of play with clever inter-passing movements, which completely puzzled and confused the opposition. The elusive winger, D. Ross, who was the master of Maclean and Lawson, was continually in the forefront with sparkling runs down the touch-line. It came as no surprise when one of these dazzling flashes proved successful. Rounding Lawson, the left winger calmly placed the ball in the visitors' goalmouth and Sutherland had only to tap it into the net. The brilliance of Ross was undoubted. The opposition could not hold him in subjection, another of his delightful crosses into the centre enabling Mackay to defeat Mac Angus for the fifth time. By registering this point with his knee, Mackay completed his hat-trick. In giving away an unnecessary foul, J. Ross endangered his own goal area but Mackinnon headed over. Mackenzie then had a great try saved by Mac Neil and Maclean was not far off the mark with a fine effort. The trickery of both extreme wingers often spread-eagled the visiting defence and Sutherland should have scored when D. Ross presented him with an open goal but the right winger sent the leather on the outside of the upright. He made amends, however, when he tested Mac Angus with a fast drive. Roy showed his snappiness in putting on his club's second goal from a very difficult angle. The closure witnessed the Clach hovering round the home goal in a vain endeavour to further reduce the disparity. A game full of good and thrilling football, with no incidents to mar it, play being exceptionally clean for the whole period, ended in a well-deserved victory for the unfancied homesters.