Make mine a TREBLE
Nisbet hat-trick fires Hibs to the top of the table
ON this evidence, Ross County and their new manager Stuart Kettlewell might start a petition to play all of their games behind closed doors for the remainder of the season.
Despite the absence of fans in these most muted and tranquil surroundings, County and Kettlewell are making all the right noises at the sharp end of the Premiership table.
This victory over Hamilton Accies thanks to a goal from the evergreen Billy Mckay made it two wins from two to hand their new manager the perfect start to the new campaign.
When Kettlewell took the gig full-time in the summer, he could scarcely have wished for a better start. The bookmakers had his team among the favourites to be relegated. But, if they can continue in this vein, the Staggies will make a mockery of such predictions — and it has been built on new-found defensive solidity thus far.
They shipped 60 goals in 30 games last season in what was comfortably the worst defensive record in the SPFL Premiership.
It’s two clean sheets from two this time around, though, and Kettlewell expressed his delight, saying: ‘It’s a brilliant win on the road. We knew what the challenges would be today — a lot of balls into the striker — so it was important our midfielders and centre-backs dealt with that.
‘There was heaps of endeavour.
We got our clean sheet because we stuck to our task. Fortunately, we have guys at the top end of the pitch who can create and score goals, so ultimately that was the outcome.
‘We just have to build on it. I’ve just said that to the players about trying to push boundaries and see where that will take us.’
County had the first real chance of the match on seven minutes when Harry Paton’s cross was met by Lee Erwin, who forced a smart stop from Accies keeper Ryan Fulton.
Erwin’s fortunes did not improve a great deal thereafter, with the big County striker then crashing into a post as he challenged Shaun Want for a ball inside the six-yard box.
Despite eventually losing 5-1 at Celtic Park on the opening weekend, Hamilton actually gave a decent account of themselves and caused the champions some problems.
Determined to play on the front foot wherever possible, they showed no ill-effects from that defeat in the opening stages of this contest.
The two Smiths — Lewis and Callum, operating out wide on both wings — were the two best players on the pitch during the first half.
Lively and inventive, Callum Smith twice came close to putting Accies in front. Cutting inside from the left, he twice produced good saves from Ross Laidlaw.
Lewis Smith, meanwhile, demonstrated an abundance of pace and trickery with his darting runs inside from the right flank.
It was a blow for Accies boss Brian Rice, then, to lose Callum Smith at half-time. Charlie Trafford was his replacement in a holding midfield role as Rice switched to 4-2-3-1.
There were some moments of neat and intricate interplay from both sides any time they ventured into the final third, albeit neither were able to create anything clear-cut.
County were presented with the clearest sight of goal on 61 minutes when Mckay went haring down the left flank. He cut the ball back for Connor Randall, who had ventured forward from right-back. He squared it to Ross Stewart but his shot crashed back off the post.
County were taking a grip of the match by this point and Mckay was looking lively up front but, from what was a decent chance, he rather miscued a header at the back post.
The veteran poacher made no mistake on 76 minutes, though, as he rifled what proved to be the winning goal for the visitors. It won’t be one which Hamilton goalkeeper Fulton will want to see again in a hurry, as he made a hash of trying to deal with an Iain Vigurs cross.
Fulton flapped and fumbled it and, after seeing his first effort blocked, Mckay’s second attempt flew into the corner of the Hamilton net.
‘I don’t think we did enough to win but I’m not sure Ross County did either,’ said Rice. ‘There was not much between the two teams.
‘I’m not going to be too harsh on the goalkeeper. He made some good saves earlier and I actually think David Moyo headed the ball out of his hands. Unfortunately, they both went for the same ball and collided with each other.’
HAMILTON (4-4-2): Fulton 5; Odoffin 6, Fjortoft 6, Want 6 (Johnson 82), McMann 6; C Smith 7 (Trafford 46), Callachan 6 (Owolabi 85), Martin 6, L Smith 7 (Hamilton 82); Moyo 6, Winter 6 (Templeton 77).
Subs (not used): Gourlay, McKenna, Mimnaugh, Munro. Booked: None.
ROSS COUNTY (4-3-3): Laidlaw 6; Randall 7, Donaldson 7, Iacovitti 7, Reid 7; Tillson 6 (Gardyne 61), Vigurs 8, Paton 6 (Draper 79); Stewart 7, Mckay 7 (Charles-Cook 79), Erwin 6 (Mullin 61).
Subs (not used): Doohan, Morris, Shaw, Watson, Kelly. Booked: Vigurs. Referee: Bobby Madden.