COUNTY ARE CUP KINGS
Staggies see off Welsh invaders to taste Irn-Bru glory
SUPER sub Josh Mullin dug Ross County out of a hole after Connah’s Quay Nomads had threatened to pull off a shock Irn-Bru Cup final triumph in the Highlands yesterday.
A second-half double from Mullin denied the Welsh side after they had stunned the Championship leaders at Inverness’s Caledonian Stadium by taking the lead midway through the first half.
Michael Bakare’s 21st-minute strike put major doubts in the County players’ minds to the extent that they finished the first half on the back foot when the same player hit the woodwork.
It took the favourites 75 minutes to even begin to justify their odds of 4-7 after failing to match their rivals’ fight and determination.
Indeed, it should have been all over for County by half-time as the gallant Welsh Premiership leaders could easily have been three goals to the good.
After dispensing with Falkirk, Queen’s Park and Edinburgh City to reach the final, the team managed by Inverness-born Andy Morrison made County sweat for long periods of the match.
County may have had the lion’s share of possession but that does not tell the entire truth about an encounter lacking sparkle but exciting enough all the same.
The visitors had served notice of their intent to make a game of it when Andy Boyle was forced to hack the ball clear under pressure from Bakare after 11 minutes.
With Andy Owens’ long throwins also causing confusion in the County rearguard, it was the 100 or so Welsh fans who had most to shout about in the first half.
County had a half chance of sorts in the 16th minute when Don Cowie bore down on George Horan, but the defender managed to clear.
Within five minutes, Connah’s Quay had stunned the majority of the crowd by taking the lead.
When Keith Watson failed to execute a clearance with his head, Bakare nipped in to gather the ball and, after covering a short distance, unleashed a stinging left-foot shot from 20 yards which gave goalkeeper Ross Munro no chance.
Munro’s lapse of concentration in the 35th minute could have had dire consequences for County when he sent a careless clearance to Andy Owens. But he redeemed himself by saving the striker’s subsequent shot.
Just on the stroke of half-time, Bakare nearly scored a second goal but County were saved by the crossbar.
The Dingwall side began the second half with much greater purpose and Ross Stewart should have levelled in the 50th minute but instead struck the post with his effort after being put clear by Michael Gardyne.
In the end, it came down to a trial of strength and with the clock running down and the energy draining from their legs, the Welsh players simply couldn’t match their rivals’ superior fitness.
And when Mullin side-footed home the equaliser in the 75th minute, the writing was on the wall. His second goal four minutes later from Stewart’s cut-back sent County on their way to a third victory in the tournament before Jamie Lindsay flattered the victors with an 87th-minute strike from Gardyne’s corner.
County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell said: ‘They implemented their game plan well and it was difficult for us to play in the first half. We were frustrated because we know we can play much better.
‘But they are very competitive and put some good teams out on the way to the final.
‘We built momentum in the second half and looked the stronger team once we scored and Josh did brilliantly.’
Connah’s Quay counterpart Morrison added: ‘It’s a sore one because we put loads into the game, but the first goal was such a soft one to give away.
‘After that, we looked mentally tired. But it was important for us to give a good account of ourselves and make sure people knew we were in town and we did that.
‘We had three or four really good chances in the first half but when you play good teams you have to take them. When you go up the levels, if you switch off they find the gaps and that’s what happened.
‘But I’ve told the players to be proud of what they achieved getting here. It’s been great. We’ve been to Hampden and we have beaten some decent teams.
‘Anyone watching the game won’t have seen a massive gap. But six of them are part-time and you could see that in the end with their fitness.’ CONNAH’S QUAY NOMADS (4-1-4-1): Danby; Holmes, Barton, Horan, Farquharson (Wignall 80); Harrison (Phillips 88); Morris (Poole 65), Wilde, Parker, Bakare; Owens. Subs (not used): Brass, Owen, Hughes, Disney. Booked: Holmes, Morris. ROSS COUNTY (4-4-2): Munro; Fraser, Watson, Boyle, Van der Weg; Gardyne (Armstrong 87), McManus (Mullin 66), Cowie (Spence 90), Lindsay; Stewart, Graham. Subs (not used): Fox, Kelly, Paton, Grivosti. Booked: None. Referee: Alan Muir. Attendance: 3,057.