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| 9/1 | Queen of the South | Away | Won 3-1 | Tarrant (3) |
| 3/2 | Clydebank | Away | Drew 1-1 | Tarrant |
| 16/2 | Clydebank | Home | Lost 2-3 (aet) | Tarrant and McBain |
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Queen of the South 1; Ross County 3 |
This was not so much of a Highland raid asa a classic case of smash and grab by Ross County. Neil Tarrant, County's centre forward, is unlikely to be upstaged in the race to be the scorer of the fastest hat-trick in this or many other seasons of the Scottish Cup - he required all of nine minutes to perform the feat - yet until he put his side ahead, they were definately playing second fiddle in this exciting contest.
The unfolding events must have made for ominous viewing for Rowen Alexander, the Queen's manager. His charges could not be faulted for effort, but were unhinged more by their own short-comings rather than any superior qualities offered by their opponents.
It is perhaps the ingrained habit of winning which swung the game County's way. Despite taking a pounding in the opening ten minutes their confidence was never breached. With a tie against struggling Clydebank in the next round beckoning a decent cup run is a realistic possibility for the Dingwall side.
Early on, Queens cast aside the inhibitions which have blighted their season. A dirth of goals in their league matches was belied by the manner in which they attacked Walker's goal right from the off.
Concentrating on the long ball over the top of the County defence, things were looking promising. County's central pairing of Haro and Maxwell looked anything but comfortable but it was the experienced Walker who put his defence under pressure with some very poor attempts to clear the ball.
Hesitant on the back foot and lethargic going forward, County were not showing the qualities which have made them run-away leaders of the third division. So little were they seen in attack that to see them create a three goal lead was rather breathtaking.
Tarrant found himself scoring a hat-trick in nine deadly minutes to make life easy for the visitors. The home defence were horribly at fault for the first. Thomson mis-judged a through ball which left Tarrant in the clear to angle the ball past the diving Matheson. Further flimsy defending contributed to the second with Tarrant again finding himself on a one-to-one with the 'keeper. He beat the goalminder with a venemous left foot drive.
Within minutes, County were awarded a penalty when McBain was flattened in the penalty are. Tarrant stepped forward to coolly place the ball beyond Matheson.
After the break, Queens continued to dominate affairs. But by now the game was beyond them and they huffed and puffed around the County penalty area without really being incisive.
Tarrant could have "gone nap" in the last ten minutes when he scorned a couple of excellent chances as Queens chased the game. With time running out, Nesovic scored a consolation goal which was not a just reward for the efforts made by the home side.
Ross County: Walker; McKay, Haro, Maxwell, Golabek (Wood, 69), McBain, Gilbert, Ferguson, Ferries, Tarrant and McGlashan. Unused Subs: Taylor and Escalon.
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ROSS COUNTY COME SO CLOSE |
Ross County were denied a shock Tennent's Scottish Cup victory over First Division Clydebank last night after a cruel late own goal handed the hosts a barely deserved equaliser.
The Third Division side led through a Neil Tarrant goal, but the cash-strapped hosts were handed a lifeline when a late Bankies' free kick deflected off County's Mark Haro and passed his own keeper Nicky Walker.
The replay is due next week in Dingwall (Monday night) for the right to face the winners of the Dundee United-Queen's Park clash at home in the fourth round.
County boss Neale Cooper had been sceptical about the state of the Boghead pitch after Saturday's league meeting with Dumbarton and the marshy surface doubtless contributed to a dire opening period.
Goalmouth action was sparse as the sides slogged out an untidy midfield battle with sundry passes going astray and players clumsily falling over themselves.
Perhaps expecting a dogfight, Cooper packed five men across the midfield with Roy McBain left alone up front as the sole visitors' striker.
McBain created the first real threat of a breakthrough after quarter of an hour when he laid a ball to Kenny Gilbert on the edge of the box, but the midfielder's left foot effort sailed wide.
Bankies' first serious attempt came 11 minutes later when Colin McDonald lobbed the ball into the box from the left for Andy Brown to test Walker with a downward header.
Home side boss Ian McCall had complained beforehand that he had hardly been able to name 14 fit players - including himself - and it showed as County gradually took control.
Frenchman Frank Escalon threaded a ball through to leave Steve Ferguson clean in on goal, but the midfielder failed to connect properly on a poor effort, under pressure from Bankies defender Fraser Wishart.
A minute later Ferguson was found wanting again in front of goal when he failed to connect with McBain's cross from the right.
McBain was putting in a solid shift for the Highlanders and almost created the opening after 31 minutes when he worked his way into the box from the right flank and squared for Kenny Gilbert, but a last-ditch interception from Bankies' Innes Ritchie denied the County man.
The home side had another let-off 10 minutes from the interval when Escalon surged forward from midfield and cut inside ex-Chelsea man Joe McLaughlin at the heart of the Bankies' defence but the Frenchman's right foot effort from the edge of the box was tipped wide by Colin Scott in the Bankies goal.
Clydebank boss Ian McCall clearly had some choice words for his men at the break and the First Division side quickly asserted itself after the restart.
There still hardly seemed two divisions between the sides, but the hosts should have taken the lead in the 57th minute when on-loan Celtic youngster Marc Anthony crossed from the left and Brown headed wide.
Neil Tarrant had assumed the solitary striker's role for County in the second half, but although now on the left flank Roy McBain still created the best chance of the night in 64 minutes when he fed Steve Ferguson in the box but with only the 'keeper to beat the midfielder side-footed over.
A minute later County went ahead. A long ball out of defence found Neil Tarrant alone up front and the Englishman kept his head to lob the on-rushing Scott and watched the ball bounce into the empty net.
The hosts struggled to raise the tempo after this and County looked a good bet to hold out for a surprise win.
However, a stroke of luck handed the First Division side its leveller as Nicky Walker was left helpless when David Nichol' free kick from the edge of the box deflected off defender Mark Haro and beyond the helpless keeper.
Ross County: Walker; McKay, McBain, Haro, Maxwell, Gilbert, Ross, Ferguson, Tarrant (Wood), Escalon (Ferres), Golabek.
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Ross County 2; Clydebank 3 (after extra time) |
In a pulsating Tennent's Scottish Cup tie a blunder by former Aberdeen and Scotland goalkeeper Nicky Walker close to the end of extra time cost County a home fourth-round tie with Dundee United.
Having opened the scoring through a scorching left foot drive by Nail Tarrant, County went behind through two defensive errrors early in the second half - full back Ritchie finding the net on both occasions.
Roy McBain equalised in the 70th minute, but the dismissal of Steve Ferguson in extra time turned the game Bankies way.
Bankies' substitute McMillan made the most of Walker's slip to send County crashing out of the cup. The Dingwall side can now devote all their attentions to the League and promotion.
Afterwards, County boss Neale Cooper admitted that three defensive errors had cost his side the game.
Cooper said, "I am very disappointed, I thought we played really well at times, considering the difficult underfoot conditions, and the fact that we had a game last Saturday. The lads are very upset, but when we went down to ten men we were left chasing the game and that is hard work."
Understandably, Bankies boss Ian McCall was delighted to be in the next round although he admitted, "The winning goal was a complete fluke."
Before the match kicked off, there was a tremendous downpour of rain which put the game in doubt. A late inspection at 7pm and a delayed kick off allowed the game to go ahead.
As expected, Kenny Gilbert was missing from the line up - a groin injury was still mending - and John McGlashan took his place.
In the opening spell, Stuart Golabek had a thirty-yard drive saved by Scott.
On the half hour, Victoria Park erupted when Neil Tarrant received a pass from Davie Ross and his twenty-five yard drive had Scott clutching thin air as it thundered into the back of the net.
Early in the second half, Clydebank went back to level terms with a bizarre goal. Ritchie fired in a speculative shot that deceived Dave McKay and Nicky Walker and the ball skidded between them and into the net.
Two minutes later Ritchie pounced on some indecision in the County defence as he nipped between McKay and Walker to flick the ball into the empty net.
In the 70th minute County were back on level terms when Tarrant turned the ball back across goal and his pass was met by Roy McBain. who turned it past Scott at the back post.
The game entered extra time and County had a strong claim for a penalty denied when McBain was up-ended in the box.
Steve Ferguson had a strong shot saved by Scott but this was to be the mid-fielder's last contribution as he was ordered off for a second bookable offence.
Reduced to ten men County were clinging on but the killer-blow came in the 110th minute when a long throw by McMillan slipped though Walker's hands and into the net.
In the dying seconds, Scott, in the Bankies' goal, had an excellent save to deny Alex Taylor from sending the game into penalty kicks.
Ross County: Walker; McKay, McBain, Haro, Maxwell, Ross, Ferries (Escalon, 58, Taylor, 115), Ferguson, Tarrant, McGlashan and Golabek. Sub not used: Matheson
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