Date	Saturday, 21 November 1931
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 1:1 Caledonian FC
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee	Mr. MacKenzie
Ross County
Manager	John (Jock) Ramage
Starting 11	1: ? Scott, 2: Roddie Munro, 3: J Stewart, 4: Robert MacLeod, 5: John Ramage, 6: Ackie Urquhart, 7: Fred MacLeod, 8: Dave Cowie 1, 9: Ian Aird, 10: Ackie MacKay, 11: Dick Traill
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 1, Caledonian FC 1 At no time did the football in this encounter rise above mediocre. In fact, the last quarter of an hour was the only exciting period of the whole 90 minutes, when both teams were on their toes to stave off defeat or secure the winning point. In the first half, Caley had the better of the exchanges. The County front line could not make ground against three hard-tackling and clever half-backs, while both their extreme wings were weak and the ball seldom found Aird with any chance of the centre getting through. Mitchell and Ross were also on top form and at all times their tackling was sure. Added to this was excellent covering-up work, and the County fell easy prey to these sturdy defenders. The Caley attack had more punch, but here again the opposing defence prevailed. Munro gave a sterling display, reminiscent of his early days with County, while Stewart, the newcomer from Alness, at left back, fitted in well, and if at times his clearances were not so decisive, he tackled confidently and with vigour, and fearlessly went out to everything which came his way. Stewart has speed and is not afraid to come upfield. Ross, Macleod, Ramage, and Urquhart had plenty of running about in this half, but with Ramage again wonderful in defence, Caley attacks perished prematurely. Caley took the lead, 1 nil, scored off a penalty awarded against Ramage, who, with the crowd, resented, with some justification, the award. Ross County started off in a winning vein. Fred Macleod, in the opening minutes, sent in a lovely centre; Aird met the ball with his head and struck the upright. Mackenzie got at it, but could not hold the ball, which rebounded to Cowie, whose task of putting it in the net was easily accomplished. County now played better football, and with Urquhart and Ramage both prominent, they were more than their opponents, who were, for a time, inclined to lie back on defence. Caley found their feet, however, and the game became evenly contested. Morrison, the youthful Caley centre, was a persistent trier, and Scott’s tendency to hang on to the ball too long was near his undoing. A brilliant shot by Mackenzie gave Scott a chance to display his talent, which the goalkeeper confidently did, saving at full stretch on the goal line. Aird was well through; he tricked Mitchell cleverly, but, nothing daunted, Mitchell brought Aird low, and a foul was awarded, which seemed slight punishment for an action that robbed the County centre of a sure counter. Mitchell’s action did not go down well with the crowd, but probably had it happened at the other end, a back would have been applauded for saving a sure goal so cheaply. Mitchell is a wily, old veteran with good reason to fear Aird as a goalscorer. He knew Aird was through—and tackled him outside the penalty box. As the end drew near, excitement rose and both teams strove hard. Ramage and Urquhart were in amongst the forwards forcing them on, but to no avail. The Caley defence held out to the end, and a draw was a good result. Comparing both teams, Caley seemed to be the better all-round eleven. Their positional play was excellent, while they could always find the man when parting with the ball. This was where the County was lacking, and consequently got most of the running about to do, and less came off their work. As usual, Scott was sound; Munro has never played better, and it looks as if Stewart has come to stay. Rod. Macleod, especially in the first half, was not happy at right half. The greasy ground did not suit him and he puts up a far better game as a left half. Ramage needs no praise. In all he was sound and clever, while his never-say-die spirit was an inspiration to his side and a pleasure to observe. He was unfortunate with the penalty incident. Disputing the decision, he admits it looked bad against him, but that was because of the great difference in weight between his opponent and himself. Urquhart made a welcome return to the side and is to be complimented on a very fine, clean game. Prone to wander, he never allowed himself to be caught napping, and opposed to a crippled winger as he was on Saturday, he could afford to take liberties. The extreme wingers, I. Macleod and Trail, were not successful. Macleod had the redoubtable Paul Grant against him, but Paul did not have all his own way, although he blotted out Macleod. Trail was starved, but even thus, he is not a left wing player. It would probably have paid better to have transferred Trail to an inside berth, taken Mackay to outside right and transferred Macleod to the outside left position, where he is more at home and better suited. Mackay and Cowie both played a hard game. Cowie shone on the heavy ground, but was not too careful when parting with the ball, his passes often going wide of the mark. Mackay had many a tussle with Grant, especially in the first half, and proved himself as clever a manipulator of the ball as the old County favourite. Aird’s chances were few and he was always well covered. He needs more support from his inside men if he is to go on getting goals. He gets too much spade work to do and is hemmed in far too often. Although Cowie secured the all-important goal, it was Aird’s header which made it possible. With their right winger, Thompson, hurt, Caley were handicapped almost from the commencement of the game, and, as it turned out, Thompson got the better chances of scoring but his leg injury upset him. Strong in goal and at back, Caley have a clever half-back line, in which Grant was the star, while Mackenzie, another old County man, took the honours forward. With two clever inside men like Mackenzie and Gray to support him, it is a wonder Morrison did not get goals, but Ramage was the centre’s stumbling block, and he never mastered it. Mr. Mackenzie, Elgin, was a very fair referee and was seldom in trouble. His grip on the game kept it clean and sporting and the stoppages were consequently few and mainly of a trifling nature.