Date	Saturday, 20 January 1934
Competition	Scottish Cup
Fixture/Score	Ross County 3:2 Burntisland Shipyard
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee	Mr Dykes
Ross County
Manager	The Management Committee
Starting 11	1: J MacKay, 2: Alexander (Ackie) MacPherson, 3: Thomas Anderson, 4: Roddie Garrow, 5: Albert MacRae 1 (1 pen), 6: Ackie Urquhart, 7: Ackie MacKay 1, 8: William Skinner, 9: William MacKenzie 1, 10: James (Mollie) Ross, 11: William Bowie
Bench
Attendance	2,000
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 3 Burntisland Shipyard 2 Ross County Makes History. Almost 2000 people paid to witness the first-round tie in the Scottish Cup Competition proper between Ross County and Burntisland Dockyard Amateurs at Victoria Park, Dingwall, on Saturday. The spectators were representative of the whole county. There was a large contingent from the West who travelled by the usual Saturday special. From Tain and Easter Ross and from the Black Isle they came by both road and rail, while Inverness, with little opposition in the Highland capital, sent a large contingent by special train. It was not quite a record gate, but neither team could complain of their half-gate share. The weather was delightful and tended to the enjoyment of both players and spectators. Everyone saw the game in comfort and security, and though the services of the V.A.D. nurses were not required, it was a source of satisfaction to see them present. The gates were opened an hour before the game started, and with an active staff of attendants there was little congestion at the entrances. The seating of the standees was also expeditiously done. The first piece of luck went to Ross County when Urquhart won the toss. He naturally accepted the assistance of the breeze and made his opponents face the glare of a setting sun. The play opened at a great pace and both goals were visited in rapid succession. The Amateur forwards and halves were very nippy on the ball and some of their positional play was pretty to watch, although it could not be said to be altogether effective. Ross was the first County man to shine with some clever tackling in which he beat Murray. Then Mackay made a desperate effort to stop a fast low ball which came from the right. He just failed. Immediately after, Aitken had a likely opportunity but in his haste put the ball wide. Urquhart retaliated with a hard punt from yards out, but it sailed over the bar. Subtle manoeuvring by Ross looked dangerous and his parting shot just missed, and then a Macrae wing pass proved too fast for Bowie. A mix-up between Anderson and Macpherson let Burntisland in, but fortunately Anderson recovered and rescued the situation. At this point there was very little difference in the teams, but the fast open play kept the spectators on the qui vive, ever looking for the unexpected. Certainly Ross County did, if anything, appear the more confident. Their work was done with a coolness and deliberateness which was refreshing to witness. The four extreme wing men were all doing splendidly and they were being well fed. Both Ross and Bowie had good attempts at scoring but Mackinlay in goal was very safe. In quick succession two corners fell to the County, one on each side. Nothing resulted, but that did not detract from the perfectly placed kicks of both Bowie and Mackay. The visitors made several onslaughts as a result of open play, but there was always something lacking when the goal mouth was reached and Macpherson and Anderson were well-protected by their half-backs. With 18 minutes gone there was no scoring, but before the next two minutes had expired both joy and consternation were experienced. Ross County spectators were made happy when Urquhart sent a long high ball into the goalmouth. Mackinlay pulled the ball down but could not hold it. Skinner, lying handy, accepted the ball from the goalkeeper and coolly placed it in the net. The cheering had scarcely ceased when the boot was on the other foot. The subsequent silence was only broken by the astonished but delighted handful of supporters who had made the long journey North. The cause was, of course, the equaliser. The ball had been centered and kicked off. Urquhart intercepted and sent the ball upfield. Full back Maclean, coming towards midfield, took a running kick at the ball. It sailed high in the air, and in its descent it caught the off-side post high up and glanced into the net. It appears that the spin on the ball was accentuated by the wind and the ball had swirled considerably as it went goalwards. Ross County deserved their goal; perhaps the equaliser was a little lucky. The County continued to have slightly the better of the play and several likely opportunities to score were lost. Mackenzie failed to trap a ball when he was well-placed, and Bowie wasted a perfect pass from Skinner; then Mackinlay saved a fast low ball from Ross. Sandwiched in between these incidents, McFadden was an occasional thorn in the flesh of the County defenders. He sent across some fine crosses, but his “gifts” were not accepted. After 40 minutes’ play the home team took the lead. Macpherson was the originator of the movement; with a huge kick he gave to Bowie. The latter sent it over to the right. Mackay returned it to goal, where Mackenzie, Ross, Skinner and Bowie were bunched. The ball went from the feet of both attackers and defenders, until it reached the net off Mackenzie. The visitors replied with another spirited attack, but were repulsed. Just before the whistle blew, Mackenzie just missed converting a Bowie cross with his head, while Ross was knocked off the ball in the dreaded area. There were loud cries for a penalty, but half-time was sounded instead. The second half opened very evenly and for a period neither team could claim the advantage. As in the first 45 minutes, however, Ross County became more aggressive as play proceeded. Bowie was a great sinner when he shot weakly wide when unmarked. Then a neat move by Garrow and Skinner and Mackay ended in Mackenzie narrowly missing with a header. His chagrin at his failure was very visibly expressed. In front of goal Ross failed to trap a fast low ball from the right. Had he succeeded he had a 100 per cent chance of scoring. Next, Bowie was cutting in for a shot when Mackenzie robbed him unnecessarily. Bowie was in the better position; Mackenzie’s parting shot went over the bar—a golden opportunity thrown away. At this point Ross County were all out and it was only brilliant play by Mackinlay, Maclean and Neish that prevented a score. Then, all against the run of play, the visitors drew level. After Mackay had let slip a chance which Bowie gave him, the resulting goal kick was sent well up the field. Goodall connected and shot high into goal. Goalkeeper Mackay placed himself for the shot, caught the ball but dropped it. Murray, lying handy, had no difficulty in scoring. There were still 25 minutes of the game to go and Ross County set about getting the winner. Burntisland appeared to be content with the score as it was and they concentrated on defence. Ross County consequently attacked with great persistency. Shots were rained in from all angles, but Mackinlay was invincible. The danger to Ross County lay in periodical raids by the visitors' wing men and on one occasion McFadden shot a ball which Mackay saved well at the expense of a corner. Another “life” was given Ross County when Kirker missed an open goal. The County kept peppering away at their opponents. Twice Ross rushed through at great speed, but his shots were blocked. Again Mackenzie was unfortunate when the ball beat him. Bowie and Mackenzie changed places, but as success did not follow, they soon reverted to their original places. Urquhart, who was now a sixth forward, saw an opening. He was in the penalty area and about to shoot when he was unceremoniously bundled off the ball. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the 12-yard spot. Macrae was successful with his shot, but Mackinlay was only a fraction of a second too late in getting down to the ball. Rattled by this reverse and having everything to gain and nothing to lose, the Amateurs took a new lease of life. Anxiously they ascertained that there was still 9 minutes to go. They fought back magnificently and Macrae and his backs had to be on the alert. Mackay also was now very safe, and had two good saves. The excitement reached a great pitch and this no doubt affected the players. Ross gave away a foul, but the ball was sent over the bar. At the other end Mackenzie and Bowie had a run on their own, but the former, in taking up position, was cleverly played off-side. Aitken missed a promising opportunity, but this was nothing to McFadden’s blunder, when from 10 yards and with no one to beat but the goalkeeper, he shot too high. It was galling for his team. Burntisland were still attacking when the final whistle blew. Ross County won and that deservedly. That was admitted by the losers, who proved themselves thorough sportsmen. True, both teams threw away many opportunities, but had every one been taken advantage of, Ross County would have been in the majority of goals at the end of the game. The game was a stand-up battle between the Ross County attack and the Amateur's defence and the latter came out of the encounter with commendable credit. Mackinlay proved himself a custodian of “class.” Maclean and Neish, and particularly before the latter was injured, gave a high-class exhibition of stylish back play. Their kicking was powerful, their tackling crisp and sure, and, except under severe pressure, they placed the ball to advantage. The halves were steady without being brilliant and the vanguard was best served by the extreme men McFadden and Aitken. As indicated, the home team’s best men were in the half-back and forward line. Everyone forward paid his way, although it was apparent that Mackenzie was a marked man and was seldom allowed any rope. Bowie and Mackay never played better, and if Ross was more in the eye at inside left, Skinner was never much behind him. His goal was invaluable. There could be little complaint about the County halves. They all played to form, with Macrae particularly strong in defence. Mackay made one fatal error, but he made up for that with some inspired saves. Anderson and Macpherson were untiring. They may not be brilliant but they were never found wanting at the psychological moment. It was a fascinating game to watch from the first to the last kick of the game. In passing into the second round proper of the Scottish Cup Competition, it is stated that Ross County has created a record in Northern football circles, as no other team in the Highland League has ever gone so far.