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Stranraer 0; ROSS COUNTY 0 |
Ross County left Stair Park with a point but manager Neale Cooper looked on the result as two points dropped.
Cooper said: "A 0-0 draw was no disaster but I really feel we let two points go. We were a bit shot shy but dominated the game.
"You would have thought that we were the home team as we finished the game with three strikers trying to grab the goal which would have won the game for us.
"Nicky Walker hadn't a save to make during the entire game, which sums up our superiority.
"Some of the football we played in the first half was as good as we've produced for a long time. We can now look forward to Wednesday night's League Cup tie against Dundee United at Tannadice."
On reflection, Stranraer were a First Division side last term and County would no doubt have settled for a share of the spoils before the start of the season, but it's a measure of their supreme confidence that a draw at such a tricky venue as Stair Park is now looked on as a disappointment.
County did have chances to tie up the game, with Frank Escalon, Ian Maxwell and George Shaw all going close.
Stranraer almost claimed all three points, but Paul Walker fired wide three minutes from time.
Ross County: Walker; Tully, McBain, Maxwell, Irvine, Fraser (Wood, 72), Shaw, McGlashan, Geraghty (Finlayson, 77), Escalon, Kinnaird (Gilbert, 69).
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ROSS COUNTY 1; Stranraer 1 |
New signing Derek Holmes failed to inspire Ross County to a victory in a dour battle at Victoria Park.
It was Holmes who set up George Shaw for the opener after 11 minutes with a quality pass. Over the match as a whole Holmes was involved in any quality play by the home side but otherwise it was a forgettable for County.
Holmes almost marked his debut with a goal in 70 minutes but Stranraer 'keeper McGeown saved at the second attempt.
With nine minutes remaining, visitor's substitute Young squeezed the ball over the line from close range to score a shock equaliser.
Brian Irvine almost grabbed a winner for County in the last minute but his powerful, downward-header was saved by McGeown.
Ross County: Walker; Tully, McBain, Maxwell, Irvine, Gilbert, Shaw, Escalon (Kinnaird, 79), Holmes, Lennon (Finlayson, 73) and Fraser (Ross, 45)>
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Stranraer 0; ROSS COUNTY 2 |
Ross County showed grit and patience against a stuffy Stranraer side before taking all three points after clinical second half finishing from Frank escalon and Steve Ferguson.
The Dingwall side shook off the previous week's disappointment and set about their business in a positive way, almost from the outset, in difficult conditions at Stair Park.
It was also an afternoon which underlined the importance of veterans Brian Irvine, who was commanding, and Nicky Walker.
The midfield also gelled well and what, on paper, appeared a comparatively light-weight attack of Steve Ferguson and George Shaw proved potent enough to worry the home side time and again.
Paul Kinnaird caused his former club a few early problems and forced Fraser Wright's name into the book after a reckless lunge from his former team-mate.
Escalon played a key role in another early attack with the Frenchman beginning the move from midfield before wasting Steve Ferguson's superb return ball by firing weakly at the 'keeper.
John Fraser had a reaonable penalty claim waved away midway through the first half after being barged off the ball by Watson.
County were in total command after the break and Mark McGeown had to make a good save to deny Fraser from a Kinnaird cross. Stranraer's Doug Johnstone was forced into two desperate headed clearances before Escalon broke the deadlock in 64 minutes.
Brian Irvine's long ball into the box was partially cleared again by Johnstone but Escalon ran onto it and picked his spot beyond the reach of the diving 'keeper.
Harty grazed the post with a header in a brief scare for County before Steve Ferguson settled the affair scoring with ease after the home 'keeper had parried a Fraser strike.
Ross County: Walker; Escalon (Canning, 78), Duthie, Maxwell, Irvine, Gilbert, Shaw, Fraser, S Ferguson, D Ferguson and Kinnaird (McBain, 60). Sub (not used): Geraghty.
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ROSS COUNTY 3; Stranraer 1 |
Ross County represent the optimist face of Scottish football. Not for them the barren terraces, empty coffers or the dark spectre of receivership.
For now, at least, the rural Highland club are blissfully free of the crises which blight many of their urban counterparts in the murky regions of the First and Second Divisions.
Yet it has not always seemed to be so this season as anguish and frustration have periodically etched its mark on the faces of manager Neale Cooper and the club's ambitious directors.
For lengthy spells, County stuttered along and some were venturing that they had attempted too much too soon in their bid for a second successive promotion. Yet, there they were at Victoria Park, all sunshine and smiles and lapping up the applause during a well-deserved lap of honour.
Hefty expenditure on players has produced its reward. Those who criticise County for buying their way to success are probably the same who berate their own chairman for a lack of ambition.
Next season, another testing chapter in this yeoung club's history will unfold, but yesterday it was all about celebrating in style - and even if the football was not fantastic, no-one amongst the home support really cared that much.
After an explosive start to the game, with three goals coming in the opening seventeen minutes, there were long, dull periods in which Stranraer packed their final third of the pitch as County pressed.
It did not come as much of a surprise to learn the visitors had not won away from home since before Christmas although they did give the home side a few scares in the second half.
County showed their determination to party in style right from the out-set and opened their account within the first minute.
A George Shaw run and cross from the right was met by Craig Taggart and despite a strong challenge from Blair, the County man's header was strong enough to find the net.
Shaw, in sparkling form of late, was in the mood for fun and games and in the fourth minute a jinking run on the left set up John McGlashan at the far post. Unfortunately the ex-Dundee man could not quite connect.
Stranraer hit back against the run of play in the 16th minute when Jim Smith fired home amidst a goal mouth scramble after an Ian Harty drive was vlocked.
County replied immediately with on-loan Ayr striker Alex Bone continuing his impressive spell at Victoria Park by hoisting the ball high into the roof of the net from close rangs after some desperate defending from a Paul Kinnaird free kick.
Stranraer came more and more into the game in the second half but they never seriously troubled Nicky Walker in the home goal.
Bone sparked the move which rounded off County's victory in the 74th minute when he took a long ball on the right and flighted in a perfect cross for Shaw. The little striker controlled the ball superbly before volleying home from ten yards.
Ross County: Walker; McGlashan (Fraser, 61), Duthie, Maxwell, Irvine, Gilbert, Shaw, D Ferguson, Bone, Taggart (Holmes, 71) and Kinnaird (D McKay, 83).
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