Fyrish-stag
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![[*]](./images/onepoint9/default_icon.gif) posted on 5-9-2010 at 01:56 AM |
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Forfar Athletic 0 Ross County 2 (Full Match Report)
Ross County came away with a well-deserved victory from Station Park –against a well organised and physically imposing Forfar side - in the quarter
finals of the 2010/11 Challenge Cup. The Highlanders also demonstrated how far they have come as a club in recent years, by progressing to the
semi-finals of the same competition for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. In addition, if County win their forthcoming semi-final tie next
month they will go on to contest the final of the same competition for a record breaking fourth time - a feat not achieved by any other S.F.L. club.
This achievement would be even more remarkable in the context of County only being eligible to play in this competition - for the first time - at the
start of the fifth season after the Challenge Cup competition had first started.
The only previous occasion that both teams had met in the Challenge Cup was during season 2004/05 when County achieved a very comfortable 5-2 victory
in Dingwall. Today’s’ game also brought back memories of that famous County 4-0 Scottish Cup victory at the same ground - during January 2004 – when
Ross County were still a Highland League side. Although some 1,400 away supporters attended that game, the away support today comprised approximately
half of the very poor official attendance of only 552 paying customers.
Former Ross County legend Mark McCulloch was in the starting line-up for the home side - together with ex-County fringe player Michael Bolochoweckyi -
within a team managed by former County manager Dick Campbell. Although there was no place in the starting Forfar line-up for ex-Ross County players
Kevin Fotheringham and the injured Iain Campbell, another former County utility player Darren Brady was on the subs. bench for the home side.
Derek Adams made two changes to the jaded looking Ross County side that had been defeated in Dumfries on league business seven days previously.
Injured striker Steven Craig was replaced by Garry Wood who partnered Michael Gardyne up front. Iain Vigurs was also introduced to the left side of
midfield in favour of the displaced Mark Corcoran, within in a 4-4-2 formation. Corcoran was joined on the bench by last week’s subs Malin, Kettlewell
and Di Giacomo. With Steven Craig out of the 16-man squad, former Motherwell player Darren Smith was drafted in as the fifth sub. County also had the
unusual position of two of their squad players - Gregerson and Flynn – both being unavailable for selection due to international duties. In addition,
prolific County striker Andy Barrowman remained unavailable for selection due to long-term injury.
Ross County kicked off shooting left-to-right when viewed from our position at the terracing directly opposite the sole home stand.
The home side’s physical presence was evident at the outset as they had seven players in their starting line-up today who were 6'0" plus - including
6'4" forward Graham Gibson, who was partnered up front by the giant Chris Templeman.
Forfar came very close to going ahead on 7 mins. when experienced ex-Dunfermline defender Andy Tod was first to react to a left sided corner-kick, at
the back post area. His close range header cannoned off the post, with McGovern beaten. The rebound was cleared out of danger by the home defence.
Ross County took the lead four minutes later. Richard Brittain sprayed a long pass down the right channel to Martin Scott. From the right edge of the
18-yard box the midfielder crossed the ball to the pen. spot area. Home keeper Euan McLean seemed to panic as he rushed needlessly from his goal line
to meet the resulting ball. Although McLean got to the bouncing ball first, his weak punch diverted the ball to the feet of the unmarked Paul Lawson.
From 25 yards out – and from the right side – the ex-Celtic player showed great composure by deftly chipping the ball over the keeper’s head. At first
the ball looked to be going just over the bar, but it dipped and ended up in the back of the unguarded net. The goal resulted from County’s first
chance of the game, and at that time was against the general run of play.
Within a minute Forfar were unlucky not to draw level when Martyn Fotheringham’s swerving free kick from 25 yards out beat the defensive wall.
However, Michael McGovern did really well to parry the vicious effort just over the bar. The resulting corner-kick from the left was very narrowly
headed wide of the back post, and out for a goal kick.
After this point Forfar began to control the game and started to press County back, as they created a raft of good chances.
On 15 mins. a swerving Jamie Bishop shot from 20 yards out diverted at pace off a County defending leg into the path of Barry Sellars. His
right-footed shot from just inside the box was powerful – and fortunately for County - narrowly cleared the right upright.
Forfar sensed blood and totally took the game to County.
On 18 mins. a long Martyn Fotheringham free kick from the right bye line – taken from mid-way inside the attacking half- was very narrowly headed wide
by the unchallenged Andy Tod, from six yards out.
Two minutes later – and with County continuing to employ their zonal marking system – another Forfar free kick, taken from the right-side in line with
the 18 yard box – was once again headed narrowly wide by the unchallenged Barry Sellars at the back post.
So during the first quarter of the game Forfar had looked the more likely team, and would have considered themselves unlucky – on the general balance
of play – to have been one goal down. Forfar continued to take the game to County, as the away side offered very little in an attacking sense.
On 27 mins. McGovern did brilliantly to instinctively parry away a close range effort on his goal line - following another Forfar corner from the
right.
Three minutes later referee Alan Muir awarded an unjustified free kick to Forfar when Paul Lawson had fairly won the ball at the touchline, just
inside the Forfar defensive half. This was right in front of some of the unsegregated the County support. As it turned out this proved to be one of a
number of decisions that the whistler got entirely wrong. The free kick was flighted long to the back post area. The menacing Templeman was first to
react and his close-range effort, although on target, was gratefully clutched by McGovern on his goal line.
On 35 mins. ex-County legend Mark McCulloch – who as expected was having a great game for the home side at right-back – was booked when he was clearly
seen to tug Gardyne’s shirt during a challenge for the ball.
One minute later a speculative low, left-footed shot by the home side from fully 35 yards out, rolled four feet wide of McGovern’s left-hand post,
although the County keeper had it covered.
However – and despite being under pressure for much of the first half – County still looked unflustered, and created a couple of good chances of their
own just before half-time.
On 41 mins. Brittain found himself in a good position when the ball broke to him following a Vigurs corner. However, under the close attention of his
marker his left-footed shot – from the left edge of the 18-yard box - cleared the bar.
Just before half-time Iain Vigurs came agonisingly close to putting County 2-0 in front. Lawson played a sweet pass down the right flank to Gardyne.
The pint-sized player got to the ball first and played a short inside pass to Brittain who had run forward in support. The midfielder in turn teed a
low pass – to his right – into the path of Vigurs. From just inside the D – and in space – Vigurs low, left-footed, shot was hit with power.
Fortunately for the home side his effort went a couple of inches wide of the right-hand post, with home keeper McLean rooted.
So at half-time Forfar would have considered themselves unlucky to be 1-0 behind, although at the same time County had dealt relatively comfortably
with any threat from the home side………
Within a minute of the restart County came very close to scoring a second. From 30 yards out – and with home goalkeeper McLean once gain caught well
off his goal - line – Paul Lawson’s chip looked to be going in, but the backtracking keeper did really well to re-adjust and just managed to claw the
ball over the bar for a corner.
On 55 mins. the home side came agonisingly close to equalising. Barry Sellar’s cleverly diverted header on the turn from the pen. spot area –
following a Paul Lunan cross from the right – went a few inches wide of the left upright with McGovern beaten.
However within the next five minutes referee Alan Muir decided to send off two players - County’s Martin Scott and Forfar’s Michael Bolochoweckyi - in
two separate incidents that took place within a minute of each other. Both decisions looked really harsh.
Martin Scott was shown a straight red card for a sliding challenge on the left side of the halfway line, close to both dugouts. Although it was on the
opposite side of the park from where we were, it did appear that there had been no intent on Jimmy’s part. It seemed that he had won the ball both
fairly and cleanly in a tackle, as his other foot seemed to follow through as a direct result of the momentum of the challenge. Dick Campbell – in an
apparent acknowledgement of the harsh decision – shook Martin Scott’s hand as he left the park. Campbell obviously would have had a very good view of
the incident.
Referee Alan Muir – in both an apparent realisation that he had called the County red card totally wrong, and also in a seemingly attempt to even
things up – sent off former County player Michael Bolochoweckyi three minutes later. The home player’s tackle was almost a carbon copy of the Martin
Scott challenge, and happened in almost the same part of the pitch. Many in the County support were also of the opinion that the second sending off
was similarly unjustified.
On 60 mins. Garry Wood was very unlucky not to put County 2-0 ahead. Latching onto a neat through ball, the striker found himself one-on-one with the
keeper. However, McLean managed to parry Wood’s close range shot away with both hands. The diverted attempt spun into the path of Gardyne. From the
left-edge of the area Gardyne managed to divert the spinning ball to the back post area. However, there were no County takers, and the ball was
cleared out of the danger area by the home defence.
On 66 mins. the tiring Wood was replaced by Paul Di Giacomo.
Four minutes later County secured their passage to the semi-final with another wonder strike from Paul Lawson. The midfielder picked up a pass in the
central area halfway inside the County attacking half. Without moving forward - and from 35 yards out – he unleashed an unstoppable ferocious low
drive into the left corner of the net, giving Euan McLean no chance. A top-drawer goal that would have been fit to win any game.
The second goal cushion – with only twenty minutes of regulation time left – provided Ross County with added confidence. They then started to display
their superior technical ability by knocking the ball about by using their quick, trademark passing game to good effect. This stretched the home side
and as a consequence Forfar hardly got a look in during the latter stages of the game.
On 73 mins. Ross County came very close to making it 3-0. A long ball out of the County defence was chased down the middle by Andy Tod and the
fresh-legged Di Giacomo. The striker managed to get to the bouncing ball first. His right-footed effort from the left-edge of the 18-yard box was hit
low and hard towards the opposite side of the goal. Although the shot was going in, home goalkeeper McLean – by diving low - did really well to divert
the ball out for a corner.
Home manager Dick Campbell – in anticipation that it was all or nothing – made a triple substitution on 76 mins. Hilson, Smith and Deasley were
brought on for the sacrificed Templeman, Sellars and Campbell.
However, just after these changes Vigurs powerful shot from 25 yards out – after being set up by Brittain – was well saved by McLean.
With twelve mins. left a Martyn Fotheringham volley for the home side, from just outside the D, was well saved by McGovern.
However from that moment on it was almost all Ross County as they went all out for a killer third goal.
On 79 mins. a powerful, rising shot from Paul Lawson – from an almost identical position to where he scored his second goal – was well held by Euan
McLean.
With ten minutes left Derek Adams – in an apparent attempt to consolidate the result introduced away subs. Stuart Kettlewell and Mark Corcoran to the
play – in favour of Iain Vigurs and the out of sorts Michael Gardyne.
On 81 mins. Ross County had a great chance to put the game totally out of reach. With Forfar pushed forward in an unlikely attempt to salvage the
game, Di Giacomo chased a long ball out of the County defence on the counter-attack. The striker managed to drive forward - with the ball at his feet
- to the right bye line. From there he set up a perfect diagonal back pass into the path of Stuart Kettlewell. However the County sub. totally missed
his shot – by taking a fresh air swipe at the ball – when he looked certain to score in a free position from about twelve yards out.
One minute later fellow substitute Mark Corcoran cut inside from the left with the ball at his feet. From a central position just outside the D – and
under no pressure –his rushed right-footed shot from a good position was wildly ballooned over the bar.
On 83 mins. Forfar had a great chance to pull a goal back. Sub. Callum Smith’s header from six yards out - following a cross from the left - was both
weak and lacked any direction. As a result the effort was easily held on the goal line by Michael McGovern.
With five minutes of regulation time left Brittain’s cross from the left diagonal area of the pen. box was narrowly diverted over the bar by
Corcoran’s glancing header on the turn.
On 86 mins. the ex-Partick Thistle player came close again when – following a good sliding pass from Di Giacomo – his angled shot from just inside the
left edge of the 18 yard line was well saved by McLean at the near post.
With two minutes left a Forfar free kick from a central position, 25 yards out, beat the four man County defensive wall. Unfortunately for the home
side the effort narrowly cleared the right-hand post by a few inches.
On 90 mins. Forfar did have the ball in the net, but the effort was deemed offside by referee Alan Muir.
Within 30 seconds Di Giacomo was unlucky when the sting was taken out of his angled volley from 8 yards out by his marker, after the striker had been
set up by a Corcoran cross from the left.
One minute into added time Scott Morrison failed to clear his lines on the left edge of the County defending box. As a result home sub. Dale Hilson’s
powerful effort was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Michael McGovern.
Shortly after the Forfar corner the referee blew for full-time. This ended a game in which County had used their superior collective technical ability
and guile to overcome a stuffy Forfar side. Despite the home team having raised their game County deservedly booked their place in the 2010/11
Challenge Cup semi-finals……
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