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| Date | Opponents | Venue | Score |
| 14 July | Lossiemouth | Away | Won 4-2 |
| 18 July | Deverovale | Away | Won 3-0 |
| 21 July | Aberdeen | Home | Lost 1-4 |
| 25 July | Elgin City | Away | Won 2-0 |
| 28 July | Forfar Athletic | Home | Won 3-1 |
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County headed to Morayshire for the first game of their pre-season campaign against Lossiemouth. This was the perfect oppertunity for Neale Cooper to have a look at some of the players who are currently on trial at County, and for the fans to se the new signings of Graham Bayne, Paul Deas and Mark McCulloch in action.
Deas was the only new player not to start the game but he did make it out for the second half.
Les Fridge was in goal, as Tony Bullock was unavailable and it was Fridge who almost cost County the first goal. The 'keeper failed to grasp a cross from a corner but luckily him Mark Perry was on hand to clear the lines.
County however did fall behind in the 9th minute. Some good inter-play from the Lossiemouth midfield found their stiker free inside the box, he made no mistake from close range slotting the ball past Fridge.
But within a minute County were back on level terms. Don Cowie floated a corner to the back post where Sean WEBB was unmarked and he headed the ball unchallenged into the net.
The rest of the first half was played in the Lossiemouth half, with only a rare attack from the home side. New boy Graham Bayne had a header saved after he hit it straight at the 'keeper. Both Alex Bone and Steven Ferguson had shots which flew narrowly wide and County were rarely troubled at the back. However, in spite of all their possession County failed to add to their tally.
County made three changes at the start of the second half. Graham Thompson, who rarely featured in the game, was replaced by Martin Wood, Brian Irvine was replaced by Paul Deas and Graham Bayne was replaced with Craig Campbell.
The County team displayed a little more urgency with Alex Bone looking very sharp up front. Mark McCulloch was busy fighting for every ball in mid-field alongside Ferguson.
One of the players currently on trial is Martin WOOD, and his second half performance could see him get a permanent move as he scored County's second after 62 minutes.
Sean Webb, easily County's best defender, had to leave the field with a cut under his right eye. He was replaced by another trialist Grant Davidson.
DAVIDSON was only on the pitch a matter of minutes when he scored County's third. The big forward beat the offside trap and fired the ball low past the 'keeper into the net. He could have scored another a few minutes later but his chip shot went inches wide with the 'keeper well beaten.
Davidson's pace was causing the Lossie defence problems and when he turned just inside the box he was upended and the referee had no option but to award a penalty. BONE took the spot kick and sent the 'keeper the wrong way as he stroked the ball low into the corner of the net to give County a 4-1 lead after 78 minutes.
But there was to be one further twist in the game. A seemingly harmless cross came into the County box, Deas went to stroke the ball out for a corner, but the ball found the inside of the post to give Lossie their second goal of the game.
Ross County: Fridge; Perry (Trialist), Thompson (Wood), Webb (Davidson), Irvine (Deas), McCulloch, Canning, Ferguson, Bone (Trialist), Cowie (Trialist) and Bayne (Campbell).
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The First Division side ran out comfortable winners in a highly competitive friendly at Princess Royal Park last night.
Ross County handed a debut to new signing, former St Mirren striker Steve McGarry, along with three other trialists.
Don Cowie had an early chance for County but Speirs held his 15 yarder confidently.
The visitors took the lead on the quarter hour mark when the ball was swung to the back of the box and Mark McCULLOCH fired an unstoppable drive past Fraser Speirs from 12 yards.
It took a spectacular flying save from Speirs to stop Steve Ferguson's stunning strike from doubling Ross County's advantage five minutes later.
However, the Dingwall outfit did make it 2-0 in the 23rd minute when Martin CANNING got on the end of a deep cross to bullet a header past the helpless Speirs.
Alex Bone fired in an angular snap-shot but Speirs dived to hold.
However, BONE was not to be denied as he ran on to a well-placed through ball from one of County's three trialists before thumping it past Speirs from 12 yards.
Ross County: Bullock; Canning (Irvine, 64), Trialist, Webb, Perry, McCulloch, Trialist, Ferguson, Trialist (Bone, 46), Cowie (Campbell 68) and McGarry (Bayne 46).
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If Aberdeen or their supporters took much comfort out of the winning margin in this match, they were deluding themselves.
The Dons were equalled, if not bettered in a competitive first half and only really managed to move into a comfort zone after a spate of second half substitutions served to weaken Ross County’s defences.
It was far from a classic encounter, but with the season’s kick-off still a couple weeks away there were heartening signs for the Dingwall club and some useful pointers of where they must improve.
At times, there was an unnecessary slackness to the way they used the ball, and, perhaps, signs that the new additions to the squad are still finding their feet.
Still, the contribution of Steven McGarry, a new signing from St Mirren, in leading the attack was highly encouraging.
Before he was substituted in 78 minutes, the 23 year-old showed great ability with the ball at his feet, as well as pace and determination.
Most pleasingly, McGARRY, a former Scotland under 21 cap, didn’t flinch when County were awarded a penalty early in the second half, immediately grabbing the ball and sticking it past Danish World Cup star Peter Kjaer.
In the first half, County, fielding new signings Paul Deas, Mark McCulloch and McGarry, matched their opponents and had slightly the better of play without creating much.
Martin Wood, still listed as a trialist, showed exactly why he first caught the eye of Motherwell after making an early entry as a replacement for injured Stevie Ferguson.
Given the revamp to the side, County gelled fairly well and, with McGarry’s pace and determined running, occasionally stretched the Dons’ defence.
It might have been an altogether more difficult afternoon for the visitors had Steven MacKay tucked away a great opportunity inside the box, volleying high with his left foot. McGarry, similarly, might have been rewarded with better luck when he came close with a header.
But if they had failed to trouble County in the first half, Aberdeen wasted little time in the second period.
Ex-Sheffield United signing Laurent D’Jaffo scored three minutes after the restart, with a Derek Young free-kick from deep finding Phil McGuire laying the ball back across the face of goal.
In what was clearly a well-prepared set move, the big striker didn’t hesitate in striking the net from eight yards.
County levelled when Eric Deloumeaux hauled down Steve MacKay in the box and McGARRY quickly endeared himself to the County supporters by striking the spot-kick confidently past Kjaer.
Some determined running from Darren Mackie roused the Dons and they regained the lead in 70 minutes.
Darren Young’s ball caught the County defence flat-footed and Leon Mike showed his sharpness in beating the off-side trap and slipping the ball past 'keeper Tony Bullock.
The Dons were cruising 10 minutes from time as Leon Mike skinned inexperienced Chris Townsley and laid the ball on a plate for a Derek Young finish from 10 yards.
Scott Michie punished more hesitancy in the County defence three minutes later, but it was an ill-reflection of the true balance of the match.
County manager Neale Cooper was understandably happier than his Dons’ counterpart, stressing: "The annoying thing today was the scoreline, because we played a lot of good football in spells.
"We made a few changes at the end and put on a couple of 16-year-olds, but that is what these games are for.
"It was only our third game whereas Aberdeen have played a lot, so I think we coped pretty well.
"I was also impressed by Steven McGarry, who worked hard and showed some good touches."
Ross County: Bullock; McCulloch, Deas (Gray, 75), Perry, Irvine (Townsley, 66), Gilbert, McGarry (Campbell, 78), Ferguson (Wood, 25), Bone (Bayne 46), Cowie and MacKay. Subs not used: Fridge (gk) and Logan.
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Goals from Steven MacKay and Steve McGarry gave Ross County a hard-fought victory against a spirited Elgin City outfit at Borough Briggs last night.
For the second time in 24 hours, Elgin fielded former Livingston youngster Chris Love and Albion Rovers starlet Ryan McMullan.
But Arbroath free Kevin Steele, who also played against a young Dons side on Tuesday night, was missing.
However, Elgin boss Alex Caldwell confirmed that all three will turn out against Caley Thistle on Saturday.
Just before the break Steve McGarry took a 25-yard free kick, but the ball hit the sidenetting, although Pirie appeared to have it covered.
A minute from half-time County took the lead when McGarry chested down the ball before laying it into the path of MacKAY, who blasted it high past Pirie from 15 yards.
In the 50th minute, the visitors made it 2-0 when a grounder from McGARRY was fumbled by Pirie and the ball rolled into the net.
Alex Bone proved to be an inspired substitution for the Dingwall men, hitting the post with a tremendous volley in the 61st minute and firing just over the bar three minutes from time.
Ross County: Bullock; McCulloch, MacKay, Perry, Gilbert, Trialist (Campbell, 68), Ferguson, Bayne (Bone, 46), Cowie and McGarry.
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Steven McGarry, the new Ross County striker, lasted just 42 minutes on Saturday but must have dominated supporters’ thoughts afterwards.
Already destined to become a cult hero at Victoria Park, the 23-year-old livewire, signed for free from St Mirren, first impressed and then panicked County faithful.
McGarry, showing plenty of energy and enterprise in leading the Dingwall front line, was always going to be on a winner with his new audience after shunning rivals Caley Thistle before County’s sudden intervention.
And, following up on a promising performance against Aberdeen, he had shown plenty of invention around the Loons’ penalty box before suffering a crunching blow to his shin just ahead half-time.
Initial swelling suggested serious damage, but the diagnosis after the game was much more encouraging - physios decided the former Scotland under-21 cap had no need for X-rays or hospital treatment.
If that was a relief to all at County after the impression he had made, there was equal encouragement to be gleaned from the apparent appetite of strike partner Alex Bone.
One of McGarry’s attributes that had most impressed the previous week against Aberdeen was his unflinching willingness to take responsibility for converting a penalty award.
This time, against a Forfar side manager Neale Cooper rated as of First Division standard, it was Bone who grabbed the ball, suggesting a healthy and constructive competitive battle could be building between the pair.
Certainly, supporters expect more from Bone this season, if only because he has shown glimpses of what he is really capable of.
The hotly-disputed penalty came after an apparent bodycheck on Steve Ferguson by Forfar’s Scott McCulloch which could be viewed as clever opportunism or devious gamesmanship depending on where you stand on such matters.
Whatever, BONE took charge and stuck the ball away, albeit with a bit of a bobble into the corner of the Jail End net.
Despite a long spell of dominance for the home side, where County mostly kept the ball away from their opponents, no further inroads were made before the break.
There was some typical pre-season slackness on show, with the usually faultless distributor Kenny Gilbert having a bit of an off-day. He was perhaps the main offender in terms of wayward passing that afflicted the home midfield.
A goal out of the blue from former County midfielder Darren Henderson - he rarely hit them like that while on the Dingwall club’s books - pegged the teams level in 37 minutes.
Henderson let fly from just outside the angle of the box and a slight deflection saw it soar beyond the grasp of 'keeper Tony Bullock.
County regained the lead on the stroke of half-time when a Mark McCulloch inswinging corner found FERGUSON skipping free to head past keeper Neale Ferrie.
The second half failed to catch fire but County completed a fairly straight-forward win in 69 minutes with Alex Bone’s cutback glanced home by FERGUSON.
It proved an impressive enough victory with the only real concern being the fact that pre-season form is rarely a reliable indicator of what the campaign for real holds in store.
Ross County: Bullock; McCulloch, Deas, Perry (Webb, 80), Irvine, Gilbert, Wood (Bayne, 69), Ferguson, Bone (Campbell, 75), Cowie and McGarry (S. Mackay, 42). Sub not used - Fridge (gk).
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