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Ross County 2; Cowdenbeath 0 |
At this time of the year a rare breed of twitcher has been seen in Dingwall. The species is known as "a scout" and they are there looking at the talents of derek Adams who has been hitting the headlines for County in the past few seasons as a goal scorer.
Clubs such as Morton, Hibs and Manchester City are being touted as being interested in Adams and one report suggests that £200,000 is the sum being offered to County - a club record.
Adams may have been the big attraction but there was much more on view at Victoria Park as Ross County Maintained their 100% record for their competitive season taking their unbeaten run to seven matches.
Cowdenbeath began smartly but were soon overwhelmed by a passionate display from County. In the seventh minute Steve Ferguson scored when Alex Taylor's corner was half cleared and Ferguson blasted the ball past ex-County 'keeper Hutchinson who had no chance.
Adams came close with a free kick after 20 minutes but Cowdenbeath were enjoying their best spell and County chances were few and far between at this stage.
Dave McKay was stretchered off and replaced with Gary Wood who fullfilled a defensive role.
Cowdenbeath got back into the game and were awarded a penalty when Stewart was tripped in the box. However, Nicky Walker saved Brown's spot kick and Cowdenbeath's hopes disappeared in the Highland air.
Just before half time Roy McBain sent a through ball towards Kenny Gilbert and the resultant cross found Adams who swept the ball past Hutchinson.
In a poor second half, Ferguson came closest for County with an ambitious overhead kick and Adams had a drive blocked when he only had the 'keeper to beat.
Neil Tarrant was having a quiet game in the shadows of his more illustrious strike partner, but he set up an excellent opportunity for Adams who had his shot tipped on to the bar by Hutchinson.
Thereafter, the game petered out as a spectacle as County cruised to their fourth successive victory in the league to maintain their number one position with the rest chasing. Hopefully, this will be the way it will be until the end of the season.
Ross County: Walker; McKay (Wood, 25), McBain, Herd, Maxwell, Gilbert, Escalon (Ross, 87), Adams, Tarrant, Taylor and Ferguson. Unused Sub: Campbell.
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Cowdenbeath 1; Ross County 2 |
Ross County returned to their early-season perch at the top of the Bell's Third Division last night after two goals from man-of-the-moment Garry Wood saw off the challenge of Cowdenbeath at Central Park.
Former Cowdenbeath striker Wood returned to his old stamping ground in style as he took his season's tally to eight as County eventually overcame Craig Levein's young side.
But it was the Fifers who had the first opportunity of the game in 16 minutes when trialist Lee Dair's deep cross was met at the back post by Jamie McKenzie and he should have done better than to head wide from eight yards.
As the half progressed County midfielders Billy Ferries and Frank Escalon took control of the game and it was no surprise when the Dingwall men took the lead.
Strong play on the right wing by the highly-productive Ferries in 22 minutes was finished off by in-form Wood, who added to his recent four-goal haul by blasting the ball into the net from eight yards.
Wood almost scored again minutes later but his drive from 18 yards went wide.
However, a goal was only delayed five minutes when Ferries and Wood combined once more for the same result. Ferries' driven cross was met by the head of Wood and his effort glanced off the upright before nestling in the net.
Ian Maxwell and substitute Neil Tarrant both had chances to finish the game as a contest but they both inexplicably missed from two yards with ex-County goalkeeper Hutchison in the home goal beaten.
Wood almost grabbed his hat-trick with 10 minutes left but his spectacular volley flew narrowly over the bar.
Cowdenbeath grabbed a late consolation through substitute Colin Bowsher but County held out to take the points.
Ross County: Walker; Williamson (Taylor, 89), McBain, Haro, Maxwell, Gilbert, Ferries (Tarrant, 71), Ferguson, Wood, Escalon, Golabek.
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Ross County 1; Cowdenbeath 0 |
This match was played in atrocious overhead conditions. A biting wind made conditions difficult for the players and spectators but the game did go ahead largely due to the fact that the pitch had been covered throughout the previous week.
However, in the gathering gloom the floodlights failed for the second week running. But emergency repairs were effected and the game went ahead in spite of the prevailing weather.
Cowdenbeath 'keeper Steve Hutcheson was given a warm welcome back to Victoria Park by the home fans and the ex-County player nearly opened the scoring for the visitors. A long clearance found Walker off his line and he had to scramble back to fist the ball over the bar. Hutcheson had scored such a goal when he played with County but today his oportunism was to be denied.
Throughout the match the Cowdenbeath side defended stubbornly and were dangerous on the break. In the 38th minute they did have the ball in the net but it was disallowed for off-side.
In the second half, County played with a little more direction and with the introduction of Billy Ferries to the fray in the 58th minute so their fortunes changed. The goal when it did come was a beauty. Ferries crossed the ball to McBain who beat two defenders before cutting the ball back. Tarrant dummied the ball and it ran to Golabek who was following up. The mid-fielder's left foot shot flew by the helpless Hutcheson and gave County the lead.
However, Cowdenbeath almost stole a point in the dying minutes Haro and Walker got themselves in a knot and the ball broke perilously close the the County goal before slipping by the post.
Ross County: Walker; McKay, McBain (Wood, 86), Haro, Maxwell, Gilbert, Ross (Ferries, 58), McGlashan, Taylor, Tarrant and Golabek. Unused Sub: Ferguson.
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Cowdenbeath 2; Ross County 3 |
The austere surrounds of Central Park, Cowdenbeath, must now be approaching a haven of cherished memories for Ross County. August 13, 1994 witnessed them make their senior league debut on this ground, and March 13, 1999 at the same venue will go down in the club's annals as a day on which they took a giant stride towards sealing promotion for the first time. One more victory should be enough to confirm their elevation to the Second Division.
This was not one of County's more majestic victories of the campaign, but then again a touch of the jitters would be understandable for a club that has missed out on promotion by a single place in three out of the last four seasons. They could have easily folded after having made an insipid start to this game and finding themselves two goals in arrears. To their credit, they never panicked and when they equalised there was only going to be one winner.
It was only a short time ago that Cowdenbeath was graced by the presence of Kirsty Hume, the supermodel who forsook the catwalks of Milan to open a pet shop on behalf of a relative. Yesterday, the Fife town again played the improbable host to another with a reputation for a sharp dress sense, in the form of Pasquale Bruno, who turned out as a trialist for the home side - this at the behest of his former Hearts teammate, Craig Levein, now the Cowdenbeath manager. That Bruno should make an incongruous appearance in these surroundings provides a telling insight into the meagre resources with which Levein has to juggle. Having found himself short of defensive cover and aware that the Italian was in the country on holiday, he apparently had no hesitation in putting out a distress call to his old acquaintance.
In the event it was a fairly low-key outing for Bruno, the occasional telling intervention hardly disguising what was a restrained workout.
Sadly for the Fife club, the pattern of the game was to follow something of a parallel to the fortunes of Bruno. Wholly contrary to pre-match expectations, the first half was almost a stroll for the home side. With just over half-an-hour gone they found themselves two goals in front and posing a myriad of awkward questions for an unsteady County defence.
Their first strike was a delightful affair, young Graeme Brown swivelling away from his marker to unleash a powerful drive beyond Nicky Walker. In comparison, the goal which extended their advantage will surely have Neale Cooper, the Ross County manager, reaching for the blackboard to give his players a refresher course in defending corners. The lapse in cover which allowed Willie Stewart to score with a simple header was woeful.
Alas for the home side, with the respite of the interval only minutes away, some slack play in the midfield allowed Paul Kinnaird to hare off down the flank and centre for Neil Tarrant to pick his spot beyond Steve Hutchison.
If this was a grevious blow, an own goal conceded by defender Wesley Mitchell immediately after the break was surely a fatal one. Re-acquainted with their self-belief, the visitors took control and peppered the Cowdenbeath goal with shots and it was little surprise when Ian Maxwell finally put them in front with a header after 73 minutes.
One suspects that Bruno must have been rather relieved to be watching from the sidelines by this stage, as the Cowdenbeath defence were now being subjected to a strenuous examination. Even the dismissal of County's Roy McBain for a second bookable offence did little to stem the flow towards Hutchison's goal and it was little surprise that the overworked ex-County goalkeeper should find himself the recipient of the Man of the Match award.
Ross County: Walker; Tully, Haro, Maxwell, McBain; Ross (Golabek 72min), Ferguson, McGlashan, Taylor; Tarrant, Kinnaird (Wood 89min). Sub Not Used: McKay.
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