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ROSS COUNTY 0; Stenhousemuir 0 |
It appears that Stenhousemuir set out their stall to earn a draw and this they duly achieved.
Ross County found it difficult to penetrate a well-organised vistitors' defence but they did come close early in the first half when George Shaw hit the crossbar.
The stodgy fare continued into the second half and neither side had many chances. Two good chances did fall to County but neither opportunity was converted.
The first fell to Gary Wood when the striker found himself in the clear with only Hamilton to beat. However, the 'keeper saved well.
The second chance came when leading scorer Brian Irvine rose to head powerfully against the upright. The big defender did well to react to the rebound but his strike went wide of the target.
Ross County: Walker; Tully, McBain, Maxwell, Irvine, Gilbert (Fraser, 82), Shaw, McGlashan, Wood (McKay,S, 87), Ferguson and Finlayson (Geraghty, 45).
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Stenhousemuir 0; ROSS COUNTY 2 |
The head of Paul Kinnaird and a come-back goal from long-term injury victim John McGlashan gave Ross County a massive boost in the promotion chase tonight.
With challengers Alloa and Partick also slipping up in their respective matches, the sequence of results combined to hoist County back into second spot eight points behind the league leaders Clyde.
Sheer grit and determination from Neale Cooper's men ensured that struggling Stenhousemuir were plunged closer to the relegation zone while for County veteran Paul Kinnaird proved again that he can score important goals without the aid of the dead-ball situation.
For McGlashan, the vital second goal ended a miserable spell on the sidelines and, fit and refreshed, the strong-running midfielder could prove almost like a new signing for Cooper in the remaining eight league matches.
It was by no means an easy night for the Dingwall side, with 'Muir battling hard in the hope of causing an upset. County gave debuts to Craig Taggart and Steve Boyle and they looked the more dangerous side from the start.
County almost took the lead after nine minutes when a Steve Ferguson run down the left and a good cross set up John Fraser. Fraser mis-hit his right-foot volley and 'keeper Lindsay Hamilton held the effort.
Six minutes later, Stenhousemuir went close when Graham Fraser shot wide from a Banks' cut back.
Defences remained on top and a Kenny Gilbert cross and a Ferguson header wide was all that County had to show for the rest of the half.
It took County ten minutes after the re-start to make the breakthrough. A cross from George Shaw was flicked on by the head of Derek Holmes and Paul Kinnaird was well placed to finish with a header at the far post.
County almost extended their lead ten minutes later when a Kinnaird corner found Holmes but the big striker's effort smashed off the post.
Holmes turned provider in the 70th minute and his dangerous cross found Shaw but his striking partner's shot cannoned off the 'keeper's legs.
There was a brief scare towards the end of the game for County as young home striker Hamilton headed against the cross bar.
But John McGlashan capped a confident return two minutes from time when he smashed in a left foot drive from the edge of the box to kill off the game.
Ross County: Hamilton; Fraser (McGlashan), Duthie, Maxwell, Irvine, Gilbert, Shaw Taggart, Ferguson (D McKay), Holmes and Kinnaird(Boyle).
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ROSS COUNTY 2; Stenhousemuir 0 |
Ross County last night took a massive stride towards a second successive promotion triumph as rivals Alloa and Clyde stumbled.
Neale Cooper's men were rarely troubled by an under-strength Stenhousemuir although George Shaw's spot-kick and Paul Kinnaird's strike were all they had to show for their domination.
Brian Irvine and John McGlashan also had goals chalked off for penalty area infringements.
Kinnaird, Derek Holmes, Craig Taggart and John Fraser all went close in the first 15 minutes although it was Taggart who had the easiest chance when he blasted over from 12 yards.
Shaw broke the deadlock from the spot in 27 minutes after Michael Hall fouled John McGlashan in the area. Hall was booked for this incident.
Shortly afterwards, the visitor's 'keeper had to look lively when it took two attempts to keep out a 35-yard drive by Mark Duthie.
Martin McLaughlin fired up the Warriors with a fierce long-range drive but the flurry was short-lived.
In the 37th minute Kinnaird made it 2-0 and gave County a welcome cushion when he finished off some good work by John Fraser by ramming home a 20-yard shot off the post.
McGlashan had a 43rd-minute goal disallowed for pushing his marker.
On the hour mark, a Paul Kinnaird free kick special had to palmed away from the top corner by Stenny's trialist keeper.
The 'keeper saved at Shaw's feet 12 minutes later then Gregg Watson's super sliding tackle denied Taggart as he tried to connect with Kinnaird's pass across goal.
County skipper Irvine had a headed goal chalked off in 75 minutes for a push on a defender.
It was all County in the last ten minutes and the Stenhousemuir 'keeper made two further saves firstly to deny Taggart and then stop an Irvine effort at point blank range.
Ross County: Hamilton; McGlashan, Duthie, Maxwell, Irvine, MacKay, Shaw, Fraser (McBain, 67), Holmes (Geraghty, 74), Taggart and Kinnaird (Boyle, 89).
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Stenhousemuir 2; ROSS COUNTY 2 |
Ross County failed to clinch second spot in the division when they were held to a 2-2 draw against Stenhousemuir.
In what might have turned out to be a dull, end-of-season affair, both sides rose to the occasion and served up an entertaining contest.
It was Stenhousemuir who took the lead on the half hour when Wood hit a left foot shot which was deflected off defender Kenny Gilbert and the ball spun into the visitors' net.
County did level matters early in the second half with the simplest of goals from Alex Bone. The Dingwall side then swept into the lead six minutes later when George Shaw swept home a Paul Kinnaird cross.
It would have been cruel if Stenny had been denied something from the game and Mooney made sure of the point when he blasted home a 30-yard free kick high into Nicky Walker's top left hand corner in the 71st minute.
Ross County: Walker; McGlashan (Holmes, 51), Duthie, Maxwell, Irvine, Gilbert, Shaw, D Ferguson (D McKay, 78), Bone, Taggart (Fraser, 59) and Kinnaird.
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