Date	Saturday, 11 December 1999
Competition	Scottish Cup
Fixture/Score	Ross County 2:2 Forfar Athletic
Venue	Victoria Park
Attendance	760
Referee	John Fleming
Comments	Match Report Report by Alasdair Fraser for the Daily Record. Ross County 2 Forfar Athletic 2 Brian Irvine's last-gasp leveller put ex-Ranger Derek Ferguson's Ross County debut on the back burner. The former Aberdeen defender's late, late show spared the Second Division side from a Tennents Scottish Cup first round defeat by Forfar Athletic. That means Fergie--who signed for Neale Cooper's team an hour before kick off--must wait until after Saturday's replay to pull on a County shirt because of the cup's 14-day rule. The 32-year-old, back in Scotland after a stint in Australia, because Cooper's latest big-name signing following the arrival of Irvine and the ill-fated Mark Hateley shenanigans. And Ferguson admitted the old pals act persuaded him to take a step into the unknown in Dingwall. He said: "I played with Neale Cooper at Rangers and also know the assistant boss, Gordon Chisholm, from when I was at Dundee. "They are people I trust and respect and that made it a fairly easy decision for me to come here. "I also know that Ross County is a club destined to go places and I'm certain this is the right move for me. I've signed a two-year deal and I'm looking forward to getting started." Irvine kept County in the competition just as third division Forfar appeared to have done enough to ease them out. Irvine, who has been recovering from injury, came off the bench as County launched an aerial assault at the Loons in the heart-stopping final quarter of the game. The former Scotland defender said: "We came closer to losing than was comfortable but there's the old cliche about cup football which says teams that get a second chance often go on and take it. "I think the manager threw me on more in an attacking role than anything else and it paid off." Irvine's form had suffered a few weeks back while he played on through injury but he reckons the rest has done him a world of good. He said: "I'm close to full fitness now but I don't expect to be back in the team immediately. They have done fantastically well in my absence. "But it may be a good sign that I scored today as I enjoyed a good run of goals at the start of the season. It was a great cross from Paul Kinnaird, who had a superb game. "When I came here, I said my first priority was to help the team in whatever way I could and so I have to turn these words into action, even if that means sitting on the bench." George Shaw continued his streak of form with a goal after only four minutes. He side-footed into the net from 15 yards after a good cross from Kenny Gilbert. Forfar gradually settled and deserved their 39th-minute equaliser, despite a strong hint of off-side. Steve Milne, on-loan from Dundee, charged through only to be brought crashing down by Dave Mackay. Euan Donaldson sent the spot-kick high into the net past Nicky Walker. Forfar had the better of the second half and finally got their reward with a fantastic goal by on-loan Inverness Caley Thistle winger Barry Robson. He raced from the half-way line past a series of challenges then cut the ball past Walker from a sharp angle inside the box. No-one in the County camp could have complained had Forfar held out for victory but County's policy of aerial assault finally paid dividends in the 90th minute as Irvine knocked Kinnaird's cross from the left into the far corner. Man-of-the-match Robson summed up the Loons' mood when he said: "We're absolutely gutted. Everyone in the dressing room is shattered as we thought we'd earned a victory. "To come here as a part-time side and play so well against full-timers just shows our quality. We don't need to fear County in the replay." Robson, on-loan with Forfar until the end of January, said his move had allowed him to regain the confidence needed to produce the sort of goals he did on Saturday. He said: "I'm pleased with the way my form is improving. I like playing for Forfar but want to get back in the Caley Thistle first team as well. The manager, Steve Paterson, has told me to keep training and working hard. "I still train full-time at Caley and the boys there had been saying I had to score because it was our derby rivals I was facing." Forfar boss Ian McPhee said: "I really feel for the lads after that late goal. They are devastated. "My only worry is trying to lift them again for next week because I feel, on that evidence, we are more than capable of beating Ross County. "I had the 11 best players on the park and I wouldn't like to single anyone out, even given Barry's goal."
Ross County
Manager	Neale Cooper
Starting 11	1: Joseph (Nicky) Walker, 2: Ian Maxwell, 3: Paul Kinnaird 1, 4: John Fraser, 5: Roy McBain, 6: Steven MacKay 1, 7: Kenneth Gilbert, 8: Mark Duthie, 9: Michael Geraghty, 10: Garry Wood, 11: George Shaw 1 1
Bench	0: Brian Irvine 1, 0: David Ross, 0: Kevin Finlayson
Forfar Athletic
Manager	Ian McPhee
Starting 11	Stuart Garden, Douglas Craig, Alan Rattray, Euan Donaldson 1 (1 pen), Roberto Morris, George Johnston 1, Craig Farnan, Graeme McCheyne, Andy Cargill 1, Barry Robson 1, Steven Milne
Bench	Gary McPhee, Innes MacDonald, Ralph Brand