Date	Saturday, 24 December 1949
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry 2:5 Ross County
Venue	Fort George
Referee
Ross County
Manager	The Management Committee
Starting 11	1: Fred Newton, 2: Jimmy Farmer, 3: Jimmy Crosbie, 4: Willie (Billy) Urquhart, 5: John Patience, 6: George Sutherland, 7: Tommy Urquhart, 8: Charles (Chic) Ogilvie 2, 9: Bill Paterson 3, 10: Alick Ferguson, 11: John (Johnny) Bremner
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry 2 Ross County 5 Ground and weather were ideal on Saturday at Fort George, but as one would expect at such an exposed place the wind was bitter. County were a much improved side, but in the eyes of some fans, who were watching them for the first time in four months, were no patch on the team which brought County through the cup games at the beginning of the season. The game was not so one-sided as the result would suggest. Fort George put up a stubborn fight and with Motherwell's Wilson Humphries in their front line County, their defence in particular, were always on the alert. Willie Urquhart has been having a bad season for injuries. Just on half-time he was carried off after a collision with Patience, but resumed later at outside left. The right wing was functioning extremely well. Tommy Urquhart steadily returns to form. There was more confidence in his ball play and crossing. He was receiving sterling service from his defence and inside forward, and was leading the Fort left back a merry dance. Browning is a wee terrier, he does his job with a full heart and is always rewarded. Three goals before half-time came from his break-throughs down the wing, and his crosses, which seemed to hang in the air. He resumed at right half after the interval. Paterson scored three goals, but it was felt he could have secured more, if he had adopted hustling tactics, gone for the ball, and had not hesitated in front of goal. Ogilvie and Ferguson were the personification of perpetual motion. Their wingers and centre were always supplied with well-placed forward passes, and Valentine, in the Fort goal, had to be on his toes, if either took a shot at goal. Patience was master in the air: on the ground he was slow, and was too often inclined to miskick. His halves were capable, covered up well, and let little past them. Farmer and Crosbie have an added quality to their potentialities as defenders, they can carry the ball forward with them from a tackle, and place a good ball for their forwards. Newton despite the two goals scored against him gave a sparkling display. Six minutes after the kick-off Ogilvie scored for County, a high cross from Browning at an ideal height for him to beat Sievwright and Valentine with a header. County kept up the pressure, and only splendid 'keeping by Valentine kept them at bay. Humphries was instigating many counter-attacks, but he was too good for his team-mates. Then came the Fort equaliser. The County defence was cunningly drawn by Humphries, who slipped the ball through for Smith to score. County were nonplussed by this set-back. Browning was the brain and power behind the two County goals which gave them their two goal lead at half-time. Paterson was the scorer in both cases. County had the advantage of the wind during the first half, but the advantage the Fort had during the second half was not put to full use. Individualism played a great part in their downfall. The ball was continuously worked through the County defence, but chances were thrown away in the penalty area. The County lead was further increased when Paterson and Ogilvie broke through and scored. The Fort never let up, and it was some consolation for them when Bourhill scored just on time.