Date	Saturday, 06 September 1930
Competition	Highland League
Fixture/Score	Ross County 2:2 Inverness Thistle
Venue	Victoria Park
Referee
Ross County
Manager	Johnny Hart
Starting 11	1: R Munro, 2: Ackie Urquhart, 3: Dick Traill, 4: Johnny Hart, 5: Paulo Grant, 6: J Morrison, 7: ??? Todd 1, 8: Ian Aird 1, 9: J Stewart, 10: ??? Thompson, 11: ??? Edwards
Bench
Attendance
Match Report	Report from the Ross-shire Journal. Ross County 2 Inverness Thistle 2 Ross County supporters confidently looked to their favourites gaining two points from Inverness Thistle last Saturday at Dingwall, but before the game ended, they were eager to hear the final whistle. County started off all right. Edwards, taking Charlie Cameron's place on the left, tested Stewart severely, following up with a first-time shot, but he was off the mark. These early incidents stimulated the confidence already held. Clearly the County had the best of the play, and this was evident throughout. Aird was very prominent, keeping his wings going, and a fine pass of his to Morrison saw the winger beat his man and centre a dangerous ball, but Macrae, centre-half, cleared before Aird could get at it. Gradually the over-confident play of the home side was taken advantage of by Thistle, and when Ross (in goal) muffed a foul kick by Macrae, the County were decidedly lucky not to be one down. However, the County got through. Hart put Todd in possession, and the inside man did not hesitate: from well out he shot a beautiful goal. With this point, the County football improved and they were back again on the attack. Edwards placed a lovely corner, and Stewart, the Thistle goalkeeper, deserved all praise for his double save. Evenly contested play ensued with the County the more dangerous. Thistle should have drawn the game when Cameron, their inside left, was given a glorious opening, but his shot was a poor effort indeed. From a corner, Fraser missed another very likely opening for Thistle, and when a foul given away by Urquhart was beautifully placed by Macrae, the County were more than fortunate to get the ball away. Resuming the offensive, County were awarded two corners in rapid succession, and Thistle defence became rattled, and only sterling play by Thompson, the veteran left back, kept the goal clear. In another Thistle attack, Cameron again let his side down by weak finishing when with nothing but about six yards separating him from the goal, he somehow managed to put the ball past. Thistle kept pressing and deserved a score but they had not a forward who could shoot decently. Nearing the close of the first half, Morrison got across a good centre to Aird. In the rush for the ball, the centre and Stewart collided and the goalkeeper had to be attended to. On resumption, County started a strong movement, initiated by Hart, saw them go two up, Aird being the marksman with a fine slip low to the corner of the post. Aird was going through again when Thompson fouled him. A penalty kick was awarded but Grant failed in the shot. Grant's kick went high over the corner of the upright, and his miss can be accounted for by the bumpy state of the ground at this goal mouth. (Surely something will be done to correct this outstanding fault in the pitch now that it has proved to such a disadvantage to the County.) This let-off heartened the Thistle, and Ross had a brilliant save from Christie. In clearing in a melee in front of goal, Munro penalised. Macrae, who took the kick, made no mistake with his shot, the ball sailing over Ross's outstretched hands. Edwards on the left wing was proving his worth and a fine try of his gave Stewart a chance of showing his ability as a goalkeeper. Aird worked hard for an opening and was loudly cheered for one of his efforts, but his luck was again out, and he made a glaring miss when with an open goal he shot wildly over. Thistle drew level and it was a well-won point. Their right back, S. Mackay, getting the ball at his own half, dribbled through the County defences and beat Ross with a fast low shot with which the goalkeeper had no chance. This success thoroughly spurred on the Thistle, and the weaknesses began to show in the County side. Neither of the wing halves could hold their men and that game improved, and well was it so. Christie severely tested him and Macrae followed suit with a lovely high ball, but the goalkeeper was very sure in his holding. Edwards raised the home-sters' hope, and from his centre, Aird just missed with his head. The game now ranged from end to end with Thistle looking as if they would snatch a lucky goal to win the match, but Ross was fairly on his game, and baulked their numerous efforts. Excitement was intense, and when Aird deflected a shot by Hart, goalward, the shout of "goal" could be heard, but the ball travelled narrowly past the upright. It was a near thing! Again, Morrison was through and the winger should have scored but his shooting was off the mark. Thistle were having occasional breakaways and they gave the County considerably anxious moments, especially when the whole of their defence had concentrated on attack. There was no more scoring, however, and the game ended in intense excitement. Ross County did not play up to their reputation. Perhaps, as already suggested, they took Thistle too softly to begin with and, when called upon, could not switch back to their match-winning form. Ross, who took the injured Brett's place in goal, acquitted himself well. Neither of the goals could be blamed on him. He is a fine big, strong keeper with a safe clutch and, when ironed out, a huge kick. He clears high balls confidently, but in getting down to low shots he looks awkward, although he always gets there. Munro was the best of the backs. He is back to his outstanding form of last year. Urquhart did not show up so prominently as usual. Some of his work, however, was very impressive. Trail (right half) and Grant (left half) played consistently throughout, and neither let their men down, although the wings up against them were anything but formidable. Johnny Hart put in a hard and clever ninety minutes. With his wing halves off colour he was given a hard task but came through with enhanced reputation, and is now installed at Victoria Park as a prime favourite. The forwards, as a whole, were not a success. Edwards is a first-class outside left and a decided acquisition. Morrison was hopelessly off his game. Aird went right with him. Stewart, at inside right, was of no account, his game being not a patch on that he played in Inverness against Clachnacuddin earlier in the season. Todd started well, and as a stranger to the line, did not fit in well. He is a half back of outstanding merit, and it was perhaps asking too much of him to play his first game with the County in a strange position. Aird had a lone furrow to plough and was unlucky not to get more goals. The ball never came right to him and invariably he had to plough through a line of men before he could get into shooting position. Thistle are a smart, young side and if they don't take such a light view of the Highland League as they did last year, by the time the cup ties come along they will be a force to be reckoned with. Stewart, in goal, was sound. Bow deserves the greatest credit; it was his work that made the draw possible. The centre-half, Macrae, Edinburgh University, is an accomplished player. Full of football, he uses his height to great advantage, and altogether his play on Saturday was of high quality and it was a pity his forwards did not impress, or he might have been a shooter of their goals. It has gone hard with the County.