Date	Monday, 28 January 1991
Competition	Scottish Cup
Fixture/Score	Queen of the South 2:6 Ross County
Venue	Palmerston Park
Referee	J. McGillivray
Ross County
Manager	Robert (Bobby) Wilson
Starting 11	1: Ross Cathcart, 2: Christopher (Chris) Somerville, 3: Gary Campbell, 4: Robert (Robbie) Williamson 1, 5: Johnston Bellshaw, 6: Scott Lemmon, 7: Keith (Billy) Ferries 1, 8: Brian Grant 3, 9: Alan Duff 1, 10: Gordon Connelly, 11: Albert Allan
Bench	0: Cameron Robertson, 0: Barry Wilson
Attendance	2,121
Match Report	Match Report Report by Mike Tremlett for the Press & Journal. Queen of the South 2 Ross County 6 Ross County roared into the third round of the Scottish Cup last night with a 6-2 demolition of the Second Division Queen of the South in a Palmerston Park replay which turned into a Highland League benefit. Wing wizard Billy Ferries and Alan Duff scored tremendous goals, but the hero of the night was hat-trickster Brian Grant and it was he who brought up the rear as County trooped off to a standing ovation from the 2,121 crowd. Queens found themselves outgunned, outworked and totally outplayed by the Highland League leaders, who rocketed into a two goal lead inside the first five minutes through Robbie Williamson and Brian Grant. County weathered everything the Doonhamers could throw at them in the remainder of the first half and could have extended their lead before the interval. But, in the second half, County simply ran riot with Ferries and Duff putting them four goals clear in the first 10 minutes after the break. Goals from Jim McGuire midway through the second half and Billy McGhie seven minutes from time pegged County back to a two goal advantage, but they were not finished yet and Grant ran in two glorious goals in the closing minutes to round off a superb hat trick. All over the wide open spaces of Palmerston there were heroes in royal blue shirts--Bellshaw and Lemmon were rock solid at the heart of the defence, Williamson, Connelly, Campbell and Somerville were first to everything. The Dingwall men can now look forward to a packed Victoria Park for Saturday's third round tie with First Division Meadowbank Thistle and few who saw Queens' demise last night will be betting against another upset. County could not have asked for a better start with Duff, Grant and Ferries making maximum use of the space made available by Queens' four-man defence to immediately put the home team under pressure. The blame for the opening goal will be laid squarely at the feet of Queens keeper Alan Davidson. He dropped an 18yd. curling shot from Grant on his line and WILLIAMSON, following up like an express train, forced the ball over. Barely 60 seconds later Grant had County's 300 strong travelling support dancing with delight when he spanked a 20yd. drive into the bottom corner with Davidson left rooted to the spot. Stunned into action, Queens tried to respond and Ian Thomson and Jim McGuire both went close, but County were full of confidence and could have been three ahead with the game barely 15 minutes old. But full back Thomson managed to turn a Campbell cross from behind for a corner as Ferries came tearing in at the far post. The home side's best chance of the first half fell to Billy Sim, who latched on to a Gary Fraser cross and then ballooned the ball over the bar. At the other end, Lemmon met a Ferries cross to head powerfully inches over the bar on the half hour. Doonhamers boss Frank McGarvey decided to lead from the front in the second half, coming off the bench to replace Andy McFarlane, but, with the second half only five minutes old, FERRIES skipped past three defenders and drilled a low right footer inside the near post from 20yd. to put County on the easy street. Connelly couldn't quite turn a head-flick from Duff into goal No. 4 in 54 minutes, but DUFF made no mistake when Ferries buzzed down the right flank and Grant left the former Caley man with the easiest of finishes with a lovely back-heeled flick. The shell-shocked home side eventually got on the scoresheet when McGUIRE beat Cathcart with a tremendous 15yd. volley in 64 minutes and seven minutes from time Billy McGHIE pulled another back for Queens. However, County were far from finished. Fittingly it was GRANT who rounded off a memorable night for the Dingwall club when he stroked home goal No. 5 from 18yd. in 85 minutes and two minutes later GRANT completed his hat-trick when he burst through from the halfway line to leave Davidson to pull the ball out of the net for the sixth time.