The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
After Dees’early struggles
to have passed off harmlessly as the ball dropped to Iain Davidson more than 25 yards out.
The 28-year-old went for glory and, given the quirks of the modern football, saw his powerful shot veer viciously to leave keeper Mark Brown stationary.
Not surprisingly given the six-point swing they were contemplating, County re-emerged after the break a much more resolute bunch.
Ross Tokely bulleted a header just over and Iain Vigurs, in particular, threatened with some penetrating runs.
Momentum built and built for the hosts and the equaliser arrived after 74 minutes.
Stuart Kettlewell’s strike was blocked but broke to substitute Gary Glen who reacted sharply to turn and finish from the edge of the six-yard box.
County pressed on although Nish fluffed one great chance in front of goal.
Right at the death, a superb move saw Colin Mcmenamin thread in Richard Brittain only for the County captain to smack his shot off the outside of the near post.
Nish stressed: “They could have won it in the last minute when they hit the post but I think we could have gone 2-0 up before then.
“It is not a bad result coming here but I think the boys will be disappointed.
“I thought we were quite good at the start of the second half but obviously they got the equaliser and they probably got a lift.
“Towards the end of the game they were on top, but away from home you would expect that.
“I don’t think anyone could complain with a draw but, if we got that goal to go 2-0 up, I think that would have been good enough for us to hold out.”
Dundee manager Barry Smith Dundee might have snatched the win.
He said: “We started the game extremely well and got our noses in front.
“We had a couple of chances to kill the game off at the start of the second half.
“In fairness to Ross County, they came back into it and put us under a lot of pressure.
“I’m not looking at the last 10 or 15 minutes of the game. Albeit they put us under a lot of pressure, I don’t think that’s the story of the game.”
A head knock with Colin McMenamin eventually forced centre half Kyle Benedic-
felt tus off the field and, by then, County had levelled.
Smith felt the loss of Benedictus was significant as late cracks that appeared in his defence.
He said: “Defensively we hadn’t looked that troubled. Obviously, when Kyle goes off it knocks the balance of the game a bit.
“LewisToshney came in and did well but these things, at crucial points in the game, can change things. “It didn’t help the team.” But Smith added: “This is a difficult place to come and I’ve said to the boys a point here is a good point.
“It was a decent performance from us and a good all-round team effort.
“I’m not worried about what Ross County think – we have to concentrate on what we do.”
County manager Derek Adams rated Saturday’s draw as County’s worst display since joining the SPL.
The Dingwall club’s manager made his scathing assessment despite feeling that luck favoured the visitors in the potential six-pointer.
Adams admitted: “Probably today was the worst we’ve played in the SPL.
“It was a high pressure game for both sides and both teams looked a wee bit nervous and didn’t do the things they do well.
“After 27 minutes, we lose a goal from a great strike by Iain Davidson and we had to get ourselves back in the game.
“In the second half I thought we created a lot of opportunities but probably didn’t work Rab Douglas enough.
“But he did have a few good saves and we probably should have won with the pressure we had, with Richie Brittain obviously hitting the post in the last minute.
“It was a bit of bad luck with the swerve for their goal and that’s what is happening for us just now.
“We are losing goals when there is not much in the game. Somebody is scoring a goal out of the blue like Billy McKay did here in the Scottish Cup game – a great strike.”
Adams, though, was pleased to preserve the six-point gap between the teams.
He said: “We’ve also gone a point ahead of St Mirren and we’ve had a very good start to in the first half of the season.
“In this next half, we have to win more games and turn draws into wins.” LEWIS COULT admitted Cowdenbeath shot themselves in the foot as they went down at Falkirk.
A Stewart Murdoch penalty followed by a second goal from Lyle Taylor in the first half proved decisive as the Blue Brazil’s run of First Division games without a victory reached the 10 mark.
But, despite the disappointment, Coult and his team-mates are determined to bounce back when they face St Johnstone at Central Park tonight (see page 56).
“I think we shot ourselves in the foot in the first half and could have dealt with the goals a bit better,” said Coult.
“But you have to give credit to Falkirk. They looked sharp, they’ve got a lot of hungry young players with a lot of ability.
“It’s been hard getting training recently because of the weather but we just have to get on with it.
“We will have to try and dig ourselves out of the hole. We won’t feel sorry for ourselves and are ready to go on Monday.
“I thought we were a bit rusty – we needed the game on Saturday and we are looking forward to this game.
“If we play a lot better than that anything can happen.”
Cowden started the game well enough but found themselves 1- 0 down in the 33rd minute, midfielder Stewart Murdoch scoring from the penalty spot after referee Paul Robertson ruled Kenny Adamson fouled Thomas Grant.
Three minutes before the breakTaylor extended the home side’s lead with an acrobatic scissor kick into the far corner past keeper Thomas Flynn.
Cowden player/boss Colin Cameron, whose side were playing their first game in three weeks, said: “We are not getting much luck at the moment although we are not playing well enough and Falkirk deserved to win.
“We have to be braver and better on the ball.
“If we had taken our chances early doors it could have been a different outcome.”