Luck of the draw in the Highlands at long last
Ross County Motherwell
THE kiss of death was applied to this 1-1 stalemate between Ross County and Motherwell before a ball had been hoofed over the stand in anger at the Global Energy Stadium.
On the way into the Dingwall ground yesterday afternoon, a jinx walking in front of this fartravelled correspondent happened to comment upon the fact that County had not had a home league draw since March, 2014.
With football people being a superstitious lot, those within earshot could have comfortably raced away to pawn the family silver and sell the wife before clambering into the nearest bookmaker, waving cash like a demented banker. Sadly, £3.57 is still burning a hole in my Thomas the Tank wallet.
In front of a crowd only slightly over 3000, County would take just one point on home turf for the first time since Aberdeen held them to the same scoreline 30 months ago in a contest that eventually broke into a game of football after halftime. Goals from Liam Boyce and Louis Moult secured the result, while Jay McEveley’s robustness and red card with 20 minutes to go killed off any chance of the hosts taking anything more from this Ladbrokes Premiership meeting.
“We’re said Jim an attacking team,” McIntyre after his maiden home league draw in the Highlands. “I’ve just mentioned the chances we’ve missed and hitting the bar, plus another disallowed goal. That’s the way we’ll continue to play.
“It’s an entertainment business we’re in and we want to try to entertain the fans. I don’t think we gave them too much in the first half, I’ve got to be honest.
“But I thought it was far more like it in the second half.”
He has a point. In a fairly dour first half, the frantic pace set by both teams did little to help as ball retention was squandered on a regular basis. Motherwell’s best opportunity came when Scott McDonald’s deep cross allowed Chris Cadden’s cut-back to trundle along the line, while at the other end a superb Michael Gardyne 25-yard crossbar.
County emerged the brighter after the break and deserved their lead on 61 minutes. McEveley’s cross was excellently controlled on the edge of the box as it was allowed to travel into the danger area, he then neatly flicked it into the path of Boyce and the Northern Irishman calmly passed the ball under Craig Samson for his sixth goal of the season.
Samson’s opposite number Scott Fox hadn’t had a save to make by this point, but his rush of blood to the head six minutes later would turn this game upside down. Substitute Moult, on the park just seven minutes, played a clever through ball to McDonald in the area and as the Australian took the ball on to his left foot, the County keeper came crashing through to send the forward sprawling to the deck. Moult, making his league debut this season, tucked the ball low to Fox’s right.
The momentum would then swing towards the visitors. The hosts lost their way and a man two minutes after the leveller as McEveley deservedly got a second yellow after two rash challenges, while Motherwell substitute Lionel Ainsworth spurned a great chance.
“I think we didn’t do enough to claim we should have won the game,” said Mark McGhee. “We could have but so could they, so we can’t complain.” effort curled off the
We want to try to entertain the fans. I don’t think we gave them too much in the first half