Date	Saturday, 04 May 1940
Competition	Ness Cup
Fixture/Score	Ross County 1:8 Army XI
Venue	Grant Street Park
Referee	Mr A. Clyne
Ross County
Manager	The Management Committee
Starting 11	1: ??? Morrit, 2: ? Boyle, 3: ??? Craig, 4: A. MacDonald, 5: Adam Forsyth, 6: D Urquhart, 7: Frankie MacBeath, 8: ??? Nicol 1, 9: ??? Moffat, 10: ??? Taylor, 11: ??? Boal
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the North Star. Ross County 1 Army XI 8 The best war-time football match yet seen took place at the Clach Park last Saturday, when Ross County and an Army team met in the final of the Ness Cup. Don’t run away with the idea that the score tells its own story and that the County played badly. It was easily the finest game the County have put up for a long time, but they were up against an infinitely better team who had players of long standing with teams in the South, Yuill of Maryhill Juniors, two English professionals and others. The biggest war-time crowd attended and they were treated to some first-class football. The way the Army forwards swept on towards goal with the ball under perfect control was delightful to watch. The County defence were more than once at a loss to know where the ball was to go to next. The way Macgregor, the Army outside-left, dribbled through the County defence was a treat in itself. The high crosses which Yuill sent over found the right man every time, and the way Diven dominated the rear could only be classed as first-division stuff. But the County were by no means without their bright periods. They fought back superbly, and Nicol in the forward line delighted the crowd with his dribbling and shooting. Taylor, the new man to the County team, was in a class by himself, but the rest of the County forwards could not be praised as they threw away many opportunities and on more than one occasion “messed up” grand work by Nicol and Taylor. For the first ten minutes or so the Army had the ball more or less to themselves, but after the first goal was scored the County woke up and retaliated superbly. The game was only seven minutes old when the Army XI went ahead through Macgregor after Morrit had fisted out a high ball from Yuill. The County reversed the order of play and attacked strongly, but the Army defence proved too good for them. Boal had a good try for County, but Forrest saved easily. The Army once again took up the initiative and Morrit did well to save a high ball from Yuill. Forsyth cleared for County and a golden opportunity was thrown away by Macgregor when he ballooned the ball over the bar from point blank range. The woodwork came to the rescue of the County when a grand shot from Yuill crashed against the post with Morrit well beaten. The Army’s second goal was scored through a great solo run by Macgregor, who after beating two defenders crashed the ball into the back of the net from less than ten yards range, leaving Morrit no chance to save. The same player repeated the performance, thus completing his hat-trick and giving the Army a three-goal lead. Their fourth came in the 38th minute when Muir, with only the goalkeeper to beat, tapped the ball into the corner of the net. Once more the County retaliated, and Boal had a good try, well saved by Forrest, and followed this up by striking the upright from well out. From a Boal cross Moffat headed narrowly past and Forrest later saved easily from Boal. County’s sole crumb of comfort in the first half came just before half-time through Nicol, who reduced the leeway with a good shot into the corner of the net. Half-time result—Ross County, 1; Army XI, 4. From the resumption, Ross County continued to attack and the Army goal had narrow escapes more than once. With the County still pressing, the Army forward line broke away again and Maitland ran through on his own following good work by the wingers. Undaunted by this the County once more came into the limelight and MacDonald had a good try saved by Forrest. From well out Nicol slammed the ball against the bar with Forrest well beaten, and Moffat hit the woodwork with a header. The County goal was in extreme danger and their defence had to stand up against a continued series of attacks in which Morrit saved a low ball from Gilmour superbly. Milner crashed the ball against the upright from close in and Muir had a good try stopped well by Morrit. Retaliating once more the County forwards had the ball over the line, but the referee did not award the goal for reasons unknown to most of the crowd. Through the ball being handled by Boyle the Army added their sixth, Milner making no mistake with the penalty kick. From a 30-yard drive Gilmour added the seventh, a County defender deflecting the ball into his own goal in an attempt to clear. The County faded out after this, and their forwards were never considered dangerous to the Army defence but their defence stood up well to increased opposition pressure from all angles. Just before time Muir added to the Army’s eighth from a cross by Milner. Final result—Ross County, 1; Army Eleven, 8. For the County Nicol excelled in the forward line, while Taylor and Boal worked hard to reduce the leeway. In the defence Morrit and Craig stood up well against heavy pressure, while Forsyth outclassed his colleagues in the half line. In a first-class Army eleven, Yuill was outstanding in the forward line, whilst Diven dominated the rear. The rest of the Army team co-operated splendidly and were worthy winners in a grand final.