Date	Wednesday, 31 August 1949
Competition	Highland League Cup
Fixture/Score	Forres Mechanics 3:4 Ross County
Venue	Mosset Park
Referee
Ross County
Manager	The Management Committee
Starting 11	1: Fred Newton, 2: Willie (Billy) Urquhart, 3: Fred Nimmo, 4: Finlay Browning, 5: Jimmy Farmer, 6: Tommy Rooney, 7: Tommy Urquhart, 8: Charles (Chic) Ogilvie, 9: George Sutherland 3, 10: Alick Ferguson, 11: John (Johnny) Bremner 1
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Forres Mechanics 3 Ross County 4 Ross County ensured their entry into the final by a brilliant come-back after being three goals in arrears at Mossett Park, on Wednesday night. For the fifth time in this competition they found themselves behind, but inspired by their captain, George Sutherland, they maintained the record of being the only undefeated club this season. On winning the toss, County booked the breeze and at once started an attack which fizzled out when Sutherland drew the keeper out of his goal, then put the ball past. After a spell of County pressure, the Mechanics took the offensive and Newton's charge had some narrow escapes before Owens gave them the lead with a left foot shot from 40 yards. This was after 15 minutes. Farmer had a great run, ending with a drive from the half-way line which Wisneiwski clutched under the bar. Next on the target was Bremner with a rocket drive that had the goalkeeper beaten from the moment it left the winger's foot. Unfortunately for County, the ball hit the angle of the posts and Sutherland headed the rebound over. In the 22nd minute, a corner by Gunning was cleared out to Owens, on the edge of the penalty box and again he made no mistake, whilst three minutes later Liddell added number three, again from a Gunning cross. At this stage things looked extremely black for the County, as to add to their troubles, Farmer had been injured. He changed with Browning but five minutes later Rooney took over the centre-half berth, with Browning on the left flank and Farmer on the right. After 40 minutes Bremner chased a ball to the bye-line and centred; Sutherland met it with his head, and although a defender cleared, the referee decided that the ball was over the line, a decision confirmed by the linesman. A minute later Browning flung a centre into the middle and Sutherland dashed in to drive the ball into the roof of the net. Half-time—Forres, 3; Ross County, 2. A heavy downpour during the interval made the ball greasy, but the rain soon passed and conditions improved. Forres, with W. Taylor as chief marksman, tested Newton and he was forced to concede three consecutive corners before gaining relief. The County wing-halves gained the ascendency and plied their forwards with through passes, from one of which Sutherland ran through. Wisneiwski dived at his feet but the ball rolled to Bremner who shot first time. Reid stopped the shot but again Bremner got possession and from 20 yards piloted the ball into the untenanted net with his right foot. Then followed a period of great excitement at the County goal, which ended with Gunning shooting wildly past from six yards. After 23 minutes of the second period, the visitors took the lead with the best goal of the match. Browning crossed a low ball and Sutherland dived full-length to head the ball inches inside the upright. Forres piled on the pressure in an effort to gain the equaliser, but the County defence held up a forward line which seemed to be lacking a cool head. When they did break through, wild shooting was a feature, but any shots on the target were capably dealt with by Newton, who crowned his display by tipping over a hurricane drive from W. Taylor in the last minute. With the County victorious, enthusiastic spectators ran on to the field to carry Sutherland shoulder high from the scene of his triumph.