Date	Saturday, 30 October 1948
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 5:1 Rothes
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee	Mr. W. G. Shanks
Ross County
Manager	The Management Committee
Starting 11	1: Fred Newton, 2: Jimmy Farmer, 3: George Sutherland, 4: Jock Finlay, 5: John Patience, 6: Finlay Browning, 7: James MacDonald, 8: Jocky (SNR) Clark 2, 9: Charles (Chic) Ogilvie 3, 10: Alick Ferguson, 11: Tommy Urquhart
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 5 Rothes 1 Ross County have regained their earlier pedestal at the top of the League table, as a result of their 5-1 win against Rothes at Victoria Park, Dingwall, last Saturday. Though they looked potential winners from the start, and Rothes were certainly saved from a more crushing defeat by the good work of their custodian, Bremner, a consensus of opinion is that it was a drab game. Neither team seemed to go all out and at one period it actually looked like a play-about, with little or nothing to lose. George Sutherland made his come-back after his recent nose injury, but at left back he was not perhaps just happy. Not fully recovered, the crowd gave him a rousing ovation, for his sportsmanship in standing in at short notice. Forward, County were always more dangerous, with Browning showing consistently as a sound tactician. Farmer also, at right back, gave an energetic display. J. Findlay continues to delight the crowd, especially when he gets away on a little promenade of his own and takes on all-comers with easy agility. Rothes were perhaps weak in defence, although this does not apply to Bremner; as stated, he saved well and often spectacularly. There was a monotonous slackness about play which was only relieved by sporadic raids. Poor finishing also negatived good scoring opportunities. Duncan and MacLauchlan were smart men, but rarely got into their stride. Rothes won the toss, and after one minute's play, Clarke put in No. 1 for Ross County from an Urquhart cross, which went in high over Bremner's head. The equaliser followed quickly, when Duncan beat Newton with a cross from Newlands. Rothes were invigorated and Newlands sent in a fast ball which Newton saved well. A nice run by Urquhart looked likely, but his parting shot went just over. A heavy pitch seemed to make ball control difficult and both sides lost opportunities through this. Clarke, who trapped a ball from Browning, put County in the lead again with a well-taken shot. Rothes forced play back to the home end, and on two occasions County goal appeared to bear a charmed life. In a melee in front of goal, with Newton beaten, Browning saved the citadel; the same situation recurred a minute or so later, when Farmer kicked off the line. County steadied up after this and it was not long before Browning had his man beaten and passed to Ogilvie, who drove the ball into the net. The interval arrived with the score at 3-1 in favour of the homesters. On resumption, Rothes made what looked like determined efforts to retrieve their position, but little came of it. In ten minutes, Ogilvie netted a brilliant pass from Farmer, and after, Clarke nodded home his hat-trick—a long cross from Findlay. The latter part of the game lingered on in lackadaisical fashion until the final whistle.