Ross County 1 Dunfermline 0
Tuesday, 9th Apr 2019Ladbrokes Championship: Myles Hippolyte started in place of Faissal El Bakhtaoui. Tom Grivosti (60) 1-0:
Dunfermline travelled to Dingwall for this league match against the Championship leaders. Manager Stevie Crawford promised that his side would be going out to take all three points and he made one change from the side that drew against Partick Thistle, Faissal El Bakhtaoui dropping to the bench and Myles Hippolyte promoted from it.
Ross County made three changes with all three players who had previously been at Dunfermline - Declan McManus, Lewis Spence and Dan Armstrong - being dropped to the bench. In their place County started Don Cowie, Brian Graham and Michael Gardyne as they hoped to go eight points clear at the top.
Hippolyte kicked off for the Fifers attacking the goal in front of the home fans and made a strong start. Within the first minute a back flip from Hippolyte on a fine pass from Matt Todd almost found Bruce Anderson in front of goal. Louis Longridge won the first of six first half corners and from that Ryan Blair`s low delivery found Hippolyte but his shot was cleared.
James Craigen and L Longridge then manufactured a sixth minute chance for Anderson but that was blocked and then a great follow up attempt by Todd was tipped over his crossbar by Scott Fox. Two corners were then taken from the right and eventually Marcus Fraser headed away the Fifers threat.
Ross County 1-0 Dunfermline
Tue, 9th Apr 2019
The Fifers piled on the pressure with a Blair pass seeking out Jackson Longridge only for referee Don Robertson to blow play up. The hosts eased things with Josh Mullin winning a free kick on the right much to the annoyance of the travelling support. Sean Kelly`s effort came back through Gardyne to Graham and then Lindsay but his cut back was cleared by Lee Ashcroft.
Cowie conceded a 15th minute corner but when that came in it went behind off Tom Beadling at the far post. Anderson then had the ball in the net but he was offside from Hippolyte`s back heeler. Next Ross Stewart won a free kick 35 yards out only for Mullin`s delivery to sail over County`s Andy Boyle and the Pars bar.
Fox gathered a high Craigen cross into the box before in 27 minutes Todd was very unlucky not to notch the opener. His shot came back off the inside of Fox`s right post with the keeper beaten.
On the half hour Craigen had a pop and was not far off the mark, his curling effort escaping wide left. Louis Longridge appeared to injure his shoulder and was subsequently subbed by Faissal El Bakhtaoui in 34 minutes. Faiss was to play through the middle with Hippolyte moving to wide left.
Two minutes later County forced a corner after Mullin`s tricky cross was sent behind off Danny Devine. Mullin took the corner short to Gardyne but Van Der Weg was pulled up for impeding Scully.
Todd next fired a snapshot attempt over the County bar and with the interval approaching El Bakhtaoui got his head to a Hippolyte cross but ball deflected off a defender into Fox`s hands. Todd forced the first of what was to be three more corners. Devine`s header was punched away by Fox but from the subsequent corner Kelly headed clear.
In time added at the end of the first half Kenny Van der Weg required treatment after pulling up and Tom Grivosti replaced him before play restarted and the half time whistle. After the first 45 minutes Ross County had to be happy to go in all square.
Half time: Ross County 0 Dunfermline 0
The home side made an immediate reaction to their half time team talk. Scully had to tip over a Gardyne shot from 25 yards out in the first minute of the second half. Graham shot wide from the corner but four minutes later the Pars keeper had to save a low shot from Lindsay. Next Graham`s effort from close range was blocked by Scully.
County pressed further and Craigen stopped a Gardyne effort and Ashcroft headed the return clear. The Pars defended a Mullin free kick in 56 minutes and Devine cleared a Kelly cross before the home side won a corner off Ashcroft on the hour mark. This time unfortunately there was no stopping GRIVOSTI`s powerful header on meeting Mullin`s delivery from the left. 1-0
The Staggies almost doubled their lead from another Mullin corner within two minutes of going ahead. Stewart directed his header on target and El Bakhtaoui cleared off the line.
Dunfermline tried to respond through a Blair free kick and then corner kick but were not to trouble Fox. Robbie Muirhead replaced Myles Hippolyte and then Lewis McCann took the place of Matt Todd. In between Gardyne and Mullin broke and the no.14`s right footed shot from the centre of the box was well saved by Scully.
J Longridge cleared in 77 minutes when Mullin sent the ball in from a free kick 28 yards out. A goalmouth scramble followed but the scoreline did not change. Muirhead tried a shot from distance that Fox gathered but Ross County saw the game out to take all the points.
Disappointing from a Pars perspective because they probably deserved something from the game given their excellent first half.
Elsewhere Ayr United defeated Queen of the South to go nine points ahead of Dunfermline with a game in hand. Inverness are now the next closest side in fourth but they are eight points ahead with both clubs having four games to go.
SUBS NOT USED: Dan Armstrong, Callum Semple, Harry Paton, Ross Munro (GK)
SCORERS: Grivosti (60)
YELLOW CARD: Lindsay (79), Kelly (90+2)
DUNFERMLINE: Ryan Scully: James Craigen, Danny Devine, Lee Ashcroft (c), Jackson Longridge: Tom Beadling: Louis Longridge (Faissal El Bakhtaoui 34), Matthew Todd (Lewis McCann 82), Ryan Blair: Myles Hippolyte (Robbie Muirhead 70), Bruce Anderson
SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Williamson, Mark Durnan, James Vincent, Cameron Gill (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Anderson (78)
REFEREE: Don Robertson
WEATHER: Cold 7C
ATTENDANCE 3222
NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship: (home) v Falkirk Saturday 13th April 2019, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park.
50/50 half time winner was ticket no. 014461
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Preview Ross County
Tuesday, 9th Apr 2019Ladbrokes Championship: (away) v Ross County, Tuesday 9th April 2019, kick off 7.45pm at the Global Energy Stadium.
Dunfermline will take a trip of over 300 miles in pursuit of league points on Tuesday night. Not only will they have to deal with the travel, they will also have to take on the league leaders chasing an immediate return to the Premier League.
In this their game in hand, Ross County will be seeking to open up an eight point gap between them and second placed Dundee United. Stevie Crawford’s Dunfermline team will not give up on a play off place until it is impossible to achieve. They currently trail fourth placed Ayr United by six points having played one more match than the Somerset Park club.
Milestones Ross County (Away)
Last Victory | 29/03/11 |1-0| Division 1
Last Defeat |12/01/16 |1-2 | Championship
Best Victory | 18/04/09 | 3-1| Division 1
Worst Defeat | 24/03/09 | 1-2 | Division 1
|12/01/16 |1-2 | Championship
Last Goalless Draw | 22/02/11 | 0-0 | Division 1
First Meeting | 24/03/09 | 1-2 | Division 1
Competitive Record v Ross County
|
Date |
H/A |
F-A |
W D L |
League |
| 11/08/18 | A | 1-3 | L | Championship |
| 02/02/19 | H | 1-2 | L | Championship |
| 24/11/18 | A | 1-2 | L | Championship |
| 16/01/16 | A | 0-1 | L | Scottish Cup |
| 09/01/16 | H | 2-2 | D | Scottish Cup |
| 29/03/11 | A | 1-0 | W | First Division |
| 08/03/11 | H | 1-1 | D | First Division |
| 22/02/11 | A | 0-0 | D | First Division |
| 16/10/10 | H | 3-2 | W | First Division |
| 03/04/10 | H | 1-2 | L | First Division |
| 13/02/10 | A | 2-2 | D | First Division |
| 12/12/09 | H | 3-3 | D | First Division |
| 13/10/09 | A | 0-0 | D | First Division |
| 18/04/09 | A | 3-1 | W | First Division |
| 24/03/09 | A | 1-2 | L | First Division |
| 21/02/09 | H | 1-2 | L | First Division |
| 20/09/08 | H | 3-1 | W | First Division |
| 25/01/97 | H | 4-0 | W | Scottish Cup |
Last time at Dingwall
Ross County 2 Dunfermline 1
Saturday 24 November 2018, Ladbrokes Championship
An eighth minute free kick from the left in line with the 18 yard line was sent towards the six yard box by Don Cowie and the ball skimmed behind off a Pars head. When Cowie delivered the corner from the right Josh Mullin met the ball with volley that found the net via a head flick from Billy McKAY to put the Staggies into an early lead. 1-0
The critical next goal that the Fifers were chasing came for County. Brian Graham had come on for Ross Stewart and it was the sub who returned an overhit corner from the left side for Jamie LINDSAY to stab the ball home in 61 minute. 2-0
A strong run up the right by Faissal El Bakhtaoui led to a Dunfermline goal. The Pars striker relrased a stinging shot on the angle. Keeper Scott Fox parried the ball away but straight on to Ross DRAPER off whom the ball ended up in the net. 2-1
ROSS COUNTY: Scott Fox: Marcus Fraser (c), Callum Morris (Ross Draper 39), Keith Watson, Stelios Demetriou, Jamie Lindsay, Josh Mullin, Ross Stewart (Brian Graham 59, Don Cowie, Declan McManus (Davis Kellior-Dunn 72), Billy McKay
SUBS NOT USED: Tony Dingwall, Russell Dingwall, Tom Grivosti, Ross Munro (GK).
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Malaury Martin (Aidan Keena 73): Kallum Higginbotham, James Vincent (James Craigen 89), Joe Thomson, Robbie Muirhead (Myles Hippolyte 86): Faissal El Bakhtaoui,
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Stuart Morrison, Cammy Gill (GK)
Form Last Six Matches
DUNFERMLINE
Partick Thistle (A) D 2-2
Ayr United (H) L 0-1
Dundee United (H) L 0-1
Alloa Athletic (A) W 1-0
Queen of the South (H) W 1-0
Partick Thistle (H) W 3-0
ROSS COUNTY
Dundee United (H) D 1-1
Inverness Caley Th (A) W 2-1
Alloa Athletic (A) L 0-1
Connah’s Quay (N) W 3-1
Dundee United (A) L 0-1
Falkirk (H) W 2-1
Recent Form
Since Dunfermline’s run of five winning games came to an end with the 1-0 defeat to Dundee United, followed by a 1-0 defeat to Ayr United. On Saturday they went two up against Partick Thistle. Only for the battling Jags to claw it back to a draw.
Ross County have lost only two of their last fifteen matches. Dundee United are the only visiting side to have won in Dingwall this season. The Staggies have kept a clean sheet in ten of their home games this season and have only conceded nine league goals at home.
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 5th
League Points: 41
Goal Difference: -1
Away League Record: P15 W6 D5 L4 GF19 GA18
Last Six League Match Form: WWWLLD
ROSS COUNTY
League Position: 1st
League Points: 61
Goal Difference: +23
Home League Record: P13 W11 D3 L1 GF27 GA9
Last Six League Match Form: WWLLWD
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Partick Thistle): Ryan Scully: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Danny Devine, Jackson Longridge: Tom Beadling: Matthew Todd (Ryan Williamson 56), Ryan Blair, Louis Longridge: Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Myles Hippolyte 83), Bruce Anderson (Lewis McCann 86).
SUBS NOT USED: Mark Durnan, James Vincent, Kallum Higginbotham, Cammy Gill (GK)
ROSS COUNTY (v Dundee United): Scott Fox: Marcus Fraser, Sean Kelly, Andy Boyle, Kenny van der Weg, Jamie Lindsay, Josh Mullin, Lewis Spence (Don Cowie 68), Dan Armstrong (Michael Gardyne 68), Declan McManus (Brian Graham 57) Ross Stewart.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Semple, Tom Grivosti, Harrison Paton, Ross Munro (GK)
Referee will be Don Robertson, his first game in charge of a Ross Country game this season and only his second Pars game following the early season match at East End Park against Inverness Caley Thistle.
Other Championship Fixtures on Tuesday night
Ayr United v Queen of the South
Morton v Alloa Athletic
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