Date	Saturday, 23 September 1933
Competition	Scottish Qualifying Cup
Fixture/Score	Forres Mechanics 3:6 Ross County
Venue	Mosset Park
Referee
Ross County
Manager	The Management Committee
Starting 11	1: C Sherlaw, 2: Tom Anderson, 3: Alexander (Ackie) MacPherson, 4: Roddie Garrow, 5: Albert MacRae, 6: Ackie Urquhart, 7: J. MacKay, 8: William Skinner 2, 9: William MacKenzie, 10: James (Mollie) Ross, 11: William Bowie 4
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Forres Mechanics 3 Ross County 6 Saturday was a great day of triumph for footballers North of the Kessock Ferry. Wick and Ross County, the two teams out of three entered from the "Far North," and both playing away from home, came through into the third round of the Qualifying Cup with flying colours. The display of both teams was such as to give rise to the hope that at least one of them may ultimately be in at the death and bring the Cup farther North than it has ever been before. Ross County, who journeyed to Forres, escorted by a record crowd of spectators, met Forres Mechanics—a much-fancied combination—and won handsomely by six goals to three. The six goals per match seems to have become a habit with the County, as this is now the fourth game in which their "bag" has reached six. The game was a real thriller from beginning to end. Forres were two down within twelve minutes. Mackenzie got the first goal. It was, from a Forres point of view, of the lucky order. Mackenzie assiduously watched every bye-kick being taken, feinting to run in on every kick. When the goal was scored, he did run in, misleading the goalkeeper, who kicked the ball against the centre, the rebound reaching the net off Mackenzie’s back. Whether by accident or design, Mackenzie’s goal received a great ovation from the County supporters. Then followed Bowie's first point to give the County a two-nil lead. Forres did not lie down. With swinging football, they kept the County defence on the stretch. Dickie, an experienced and clever footballer, worked hard to make inroads towards Sherlaw, and corner followed corner for Forres. Through a misunderstanding in the County defence, when they tied themselves in a knot, Forres scored. The County halfback line were hard put to hold the Forres forwards; Urquhart was kept constantly on the run in thwarting Dickie’s clever wing moves, and although not always coming out of the duels successfully, Urquhart sufficiently curbed Dickie to knock the forward line out of joint. Ten minutes from half-time, Forres drew the game. On the start of the second half, any kind of result was expected, but it was soon clearly evident that the Ross County tactics had changed. Urquhart was playing his accustomed game; Macrae kept swinging long balls to the wings, while Garrow, on almost every occasion, shoved the ball forward to Mackay instead of the centre. This upset the keen Forres watch on Mackenzie, while at the same time allowed Ross and Skinner more rope. The goals were the result. All five forwards responded. The wingmen sent the ball over accurately, and but for brilliant goalkeeping by Grant, County would have gone ahead before they did. Bowie scored the third goal and followed with a fourth, Mackenzie and Mackay bringing the total to six. With the County score at four, Forres secured their third point, but this did not greatly alarm the visitors, who, once they struck their game, never looked like being beaten, and as the goals went on, played football which was a credit to themselves and Highland football in general. Bar for an occasional rockiness in the Ross County defence, which gave their supporters "the shaky feeling," the team, each and all of them, deserve the highest praise. Sherlaw's cutting-out of corner kicks was of great assistance. He swung the ball with his fist to either wing, and wing-halves were there to clear it downfield. Macrae’s defence, especially in the second half, was a thing to be marvelled at; it seemed as if he had the ball tied to him. The same can be said of Garrow and Urquhart, especially when the latter was not "playing to instruction." With such a half-line behind them, the forwards could not but play well. Their quickness of movement and darting runs had the Forres defence guessing, but the real outstanding feature of Ross County forward play was the ability of all five of them to shoot, and shoot with accuracy and strength. They brought the best out of Grant, the Forres goalkeeper, who was the "star" man of his side and greatly enhanced his already outstanding reputation by the brilliance of his play. A good clean game, there were never any shady tactics; it was enjoyed by both sets of spectators, who were not slow to appreciate clever play from either side.