Ross County 0; Queens Park 1 |
Ross County's manager Neale Cooper was furious after his team's poor display last Saturday. Three points down the drain was the feeling and the result brought back memories of County's poor start last season which arguably cost them promotion to Division 2.
Throughout Saturday's match the home side had the upper hand but their finishing was poor. For the second consecutive week, County failed to convert a penalty kick (this time Golabek was the culprit) and Queens Park were quick to take advantage of this miss by scoring on the break shortly afterwards.
County might have saved the points in the closing minutes but Adams missed two excellent opportunities.
What is clear is that Ross County's "favourites for promotion" tag will start to weigh heavy on the players' shoulders unless thay can produce the points at home.
HMM 22 August 1997
Ross County 2; Queens Park 1 |
Despite reclaiming top spot in the Third Division after defeating Queen's Park, Ross County manager Neale Cooper feels his side are far from the finished article. County were up against the sternest defence in Scotland, which had only conceded four goals prior to their visit to Victoria Park, and the Spiders took the lead through a James Mercer lob from 25 yards in the ninth minute.
Steve Ferguson was again a terrier on the right wing for County and it was his corner that the Queen's 'keeper fumbled for Billy Herd to head home the equaliser.
Queens created several chances but were unable to score. Ferguson played a key role in the winner for County when he was brought down in the penalty box in the 77th minute. Derek Adams stepped up to take the spot kick and made no mistake when he sent Hamilton the wrong way for his eigth goal of the season.
Queens Park 0; Ross County 3 |
Ross County played Queens Park for the third time this season and a fine 3-0 win maintained the County's four point lead at the head of the Third Division.
The game started at a hectic pace with both teams determined to play attractive football at the national stadium. Both teams created and missed reasonable goalscoring opportunities and, with the interval approaching, it appeared that neither side would have anyhting to show for their first half endeavours.
Shortly before half time the deadlock was finally broken courtesy of a blunder by the home 'keeper Hamilton. The goalkeeper found himself in a guddle from what seemed a harmless passback and Gerry Farrell dispossessed him and easily evaded the dispairing tackles of the defenders to side step the ball home. This was no more than County deserved because they had created the better chances.
The second half had scarcely began when Ross doubled their lead. Roy McBain picked up a loose ball on the left wing and attacked the home defence. He made the by-line and struck a hard ball into the goal mouth. Home defender Ian Maxwell turned the ball into his own net.
County were given a shock when Walker punched the ball into his own net but the goal was chalked off for a foul on the 'keeper.
This let-off focussed County and they immediately killed the game when the impressive Connor Campbell found time and space to stroke the ball passed the isolated Hamilton.
HMM
Queen’s Park 0; Ross County 4 |
Steve Ferguson lead Ross County in a goal romp as they kept their faint hopes of promotion from Division Three alive.
Ferguson struck on the thirty minute mark when he stroked home a penalty which had been awarded after Ian Maxwell had bundled Davie Ross off the ball. The half time score of 1-0 was about right.
In the second half, Davie Ross extended County’s lead in the fifty-fifth minute. From then on in the Queen’s Park defence crumbled.
Continual pressure by County was rewarded by an own goal when Martin Hardie headed a Ferguson cross past his own ‘keeper.
County were attacking at every opportunity and were granted a fourth goal when Ferguson strode through the disarrayed defence to stroke home his side’s fourth and his second.
HMM 3 May 1998