Date	Saturday, 17 October 1931
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 3:1 Inverness Thistle
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee
Ross County
Manager	John (Jock) Ramage
Starting 11	1: ? Scott, 2: Roddie Munro, 3: ??? Finlay, 4: Roddie Garrow, 5: John Ramage, 6: Ackie Urquhart, 7: Fred MacLeod 2, 8: Dave Cowie, 9: Ian Aird 1, 10: Ackie MacKay, 11: James (Mollie) Ross
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 3 Inverness Thistle 1 The match was one of the best seen this season in Dingwall, and by winning, the County beat a much-fancied and clever combination, and at the same time, wiped away the memory of their poor display against Citadel the previous week at Inverness. Once again, Ramage was the dominant personality afield. With backs not 100 percent strong and wing halves inclined to wander, the big centre-half was left to perform a preponderous amount of work, but he got through it all cheerfully and with undeniable skill and finesse. One wonders what the result would have been with a less able exponent of football filling the important position of centre-half. The crowd took great delight in watching him and gave him every encouragement. Indeed, a certain section came specially to see Ramage perform and cheer each time he heads the ball—his speciality. Another outstanding feature of the game was the number of "pinches" Aird missed. This is most unusual for him, and he even flabbergasted himself when, from a fine ground pass from Ross, he lifted the ball off the goal-line over the bar with an empty goal! Otherwise, Aird played a forceful and telling game. He could always get through on his own, but when it came to getting goals, his luck deserted him completely. Scott was a veritable miracle worker. Always daring and spectacular in his saving, yet his execution was never crude. His work bore the mark of the distinguished craftsman he is. He particularly dazzled when, on one occasion, he cleared three point-blank shots from close range while prone on the ground. The County team took the field with a strange look. Roddie Munro was partnered by Findlay, a half-back from the second eleven, who, although not shining, did fairly well in a position strange to him. F. Macleod was at outside right, with Mackay at inside left, while Ross, a young player from the Fearn team, played at outside left. They did not take long, however, to come away with the usual County first-minute dash, and Aird had his first of a strange string of misses off a fine header to the centre by Macleod. Thistle were strong at half-back, but they were fully stretched in holding the County forwards, for whom Macleod made the most openings and gave the Thistle defence the most trouble. Cowie and Macleod were a constant source of danger, and the latter put over some fine balls which simply asked to be scored. The County wing halves gave their wing opponents too much room, and Thistle consequently made ground. From one of these raids, Gowl, the Thistle centre from an Aberdeen junior club, and who has been much-talked-about since coming North, scored a beautiful goal from outside the penalty box with a deceptive knee-high shot which beat Scott all the way. It was a truly fine effort, and gave good reason for Gowl's reputation. This success of Thistle, much against the run of play, stirred up the County still more. Ramage forced out his forwards who buzzed round the Thistle goal, but with poor effect until Macleod, accepting a pass from Aird, lobbed the ball for goal. Stewart rose to it, but being out of position, the ball passed over his head into the net. Thistle replied with clever forward combination and Scott was constantly in action, while Roddie Munro's game improved, and it was well it was so, as Findlay was anything but comfortable at left back, with the result that Munro had frequently to come to his assistance. With a score of one all at half-time, Ross County resumed confidently, and it was not long before Stewart, Munro and Thompson were kept busy by the Ross-shire attack. However, Aird was still out of luck and much of the good work of his colleagues went for naught. A period of Thistle attacking kept Ramage busy but was brought to an end by Macbain shooting over from a good position. Ramage now completely mastered Gowl & Company, and put more work into attack, his long passes out to the wing being both accurate and perplexing to the Thistle defence. Stewart, in the Thistle goal, got through a tremendous amount of work, but he again was defeated. Aird broke through and was blocked close in by the backs and goalkeeper. He got in his shot, however, and the ball, striking Munro, found the net. It was now felt that Aird, having "broken his duck," so to speak, the centre would come back to his old opportunism and pile on goals. This was not the case, for it was after this that he had the great miss from Ross's cross. Thistle forwards were often a danger. Quick moving, their combination was accurate and clever, but Ramage was their master and they could do nothing against him, he out-thinking and out-playing them on every occasion. For a time, Thistle hemmed in the County defence but luck—and Scott—were on the home side. Aird was off on his own, and, passing out to Macleod, the winger capped a capital day’s work by driving hard past Stewart for his own second, and his side’s third goal. Although now practically assured of victory, County got no easy passage. Thistle are stickers and were never done raiding County territory, but they met with strong and resolute tackling and kicking with the result that Scott's charge remained intact in this half. The game ended with the County good, if not easy, winners, by three goals to one. Ross, who took Cameron’s place at outside left, got too little of the ball to be really tried out, but all he did get to do, he did with that touch of football craft which holds out great possibilities for his future success in the position which Charlie Cameron so long adorned, and now vacates for an indefinite period, on account of his studies. F. Macleod, as a right winger, inspired confidence, and was the success of the forward line. Besides getting two goals, Macleod’s centring of the ball was splendid, and his speed a valuable asset in opening up the opposing defence. Thistle can be voted the cleverest combination County have been up against this season. Ramage, for one, gives them pride of place, and he certainly should know as he had the brunt of the Thistle attack to bear. In goal, Stewart was very sound, and the more he got to do the more he found himself a sound goalkeeper. One mistake was the cause of the County first goal. Munro, back, was not too convincing, but he has a fine recovery and a good turn of speed. The veteran Thompson is an old visitor to Dingwall. He wears well and has lost none of his old guile. Longbottom, at centre-half, played a clean and gentlemanly game. His height was an asset, but he had too much to do in defence for his well-known attacking powers to show up. Another veteran in Roddie Fraser gave a fine display on the wing half. He was easily the best wing half afield. The Thistle forwards were all triers but took too long to make up their minds what to do with the ball when they had it, and to hesitate when Ramage is in the vicinity is fatal. Macbain, outside left, was the more purposeful, and finding Garrow in wandering mood, more success would have come to his side had he been given more of the ball.