| Date | Saturday, 09 December 2000 |
|---|---|
| Competition | Scottish League Division 1 |
| Fixture/Score | Ross County 0:0 Raith Rovers |
| Venue | Victoria Park |
| Attendance | 2,578 |
| Referee | Brian Cassidy |
| Comments | Match Report Report from the Press & Journal. Ross County 0 Raith Rovers 0 County created enough chances to win handsomely, but they were once again denied by some poor finishing and registered a second successive goal-less draw. Owen Coyle, on loan from Dunfermline was joined in his home debut by defender Mark Perry, from Aberdeen, and £30,000 signing from Livingston Mark McCormick. Coyle had his chances and later admitted it was a game in which he should have scored. Cunnington was the supplier in the 25th minute but Holmes headed weakly past as County looked the more likely to score. County's best chance of the half fell to Perry four minutes later when his fierce low grounder from 12 yards was brilliantly touched around the post by Van de Kamp. McCormick came close again in the 41st minute when he latched on to a diagonal pass from Coyle but his shot was punched clear by Raith keeper. Paul Tosh, who was booked for a flying tackle on Cunnington, almost snatched the lead for Raith on the stroke of half-time as he blasted the ball over Nicky Walker's crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box. The introduction of Ivan Mballa and Andrew Clark in the 50th minute proved the impetus for some of Raith's best football. But the County defence handled all the visitors could throw at them and the home side continued to create the best openings. Coyle should have done better in the 65th minutes when the ball landed at his feet 15 yards out. But, despite having a clear look at goal, the experienced striker ballooned the ball high over the crossbar. McCormick produced County's last real chance of the match when he got behind the Raith defence and his low cross was missed by three of his teammates who failed to get the vital touch. County's McQuade, Irvine and Cunnington were all booked in the last 10 Minutes. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Neale Cooper |
| Starting 11 | 1: Joseph (Nicky) Walker, 2: Ian Maxwell, 3: Edward Cunnington 1, 4: Mark Perry, 5: Brian Irvine 1, 6: Steven Ferguson, 7: Craig Taggart, 8: Owen Coyle, 9: John McQuade 1, 10: Derek Holmes, 11: Mark McCormick |
| Bench | 0: Garry Hamilton, 0: David MacKay, 0: Darren Henderson, 0: John Fraser, 0: Landy Zahani-Oni |
| Raith Rovers | |
| Manager | Peter Hetherston |
| Starting 11 | Guido van de Kamp, Laurie Ellis, Paul Browne, Greig McCulloch, Steven Hamilton, Paul Hampshire, Peter Hetherston, Kenny Black, Jay Stein, Paul Tosh 1, Graham Bayne |
| Bench | Craig Coyle, Kevin Nicol, Andy Clark, Ivan Mballa, Dene Shields |