County fans who turned up at Victoria Park to see Style and panache were left disappointed as it appears the pair of them failed a fitness test and weren't available for selection !

But putting the turmoil of the week behind for this thread, County did what they had to and scraped a 2-1 win.

The first half probably belonged to Brechin who had the better of the chances, County only had a couple of efforts, and Craig Nelson didn't have a save to make in the first 45 minutes. Brechin on the other hand caused a few problems and came closest when they hit the post when Charlie King took aim from 20 yards out.

Second half was played a higher tempo, and County were the better team. The lead came through a scrappy goal, a corner played in from the left, Keddie won the header at the back post, heading it back across goal to the goal post, where Stewart Petrie scrambled it over the line from about 2 inches out.

Brechin though drew level when they forced they way through the defence, which failed to put in a tackle - and it wasn't the first move in the match where this happened - anyway the ball was chipped over the last line of defence, and the Brechin player latched onto it, before slotting the ball into the bottom corner - there were claims for offside, but from where I was it was impossible to tell, and considering how often players were flagged for offside, I think he was probably onside for this goal.

County though went back in front within the space of a couple minutes, a corner again on the left , this time found Dene Shields unmarked and he powerfully headed the ball past Craig Nelson. The defender thried to puch the ball clear off the line, but could only punch it into the roof of the net.

Not the best of games ever to grace Victoria Park, but 3 points to keep us top of the league - and after all three points is all that matters...

Got to agree with most of that. It wasn't a great game (particularly in the 1st half). Brechin looked more dangerous going forward in the 1st half but County looked the more likely to win in the 2nd half to come back with a goal so quickly after Brechin equalised.

I didn't quite see what happened to upset the Brechin fans and management team so much that Michael O'Neil go himself sent off. He was fairly tearing into the linesman! Did they think there was a foul for a penalty or think the ball had crossed the line or was it something else? I couldn't make out what it was.

I'm trying to remember at exactly what point it was he walked. But there was bascially a County passback which Bullock caught, which in turn incensed the Brechin players.

Blatant passback, which was bouncing over Bullock so he had to catch it. And to be honest they should have been given a indirect free kick on the edge of the six yard box.
The Brechin manager was going mental, and the usual picky Alan Freeland sent him up to the stand.

Any of the Brechin fans on here at the game? Steve must've been? How is Willie Dyer getting on?

Style? Panache?

Am I missing out on something

The reason Roy MacGregor gave for sacking Campbell was so the team would start playing entertaining football. Winning, apparently, is not enough for Ross County fans. News to me.

Good to see Gribben scoring...how did he play...hello...err...anybody there

I thought O'Neil had his tactics spot on and the only real thing that failed Brechin City was their midfield's inability to play the correct pass the absolute stupidness of the Brechin forwards not knowing what the offside rule was. They were caught off side more than either of the Inzaghi brothers have been in their entire career!

The pace in which the Brechin forwards got into forward positions was very impressive and they certainly were the far better side in teh first half, and County were fortunate to go in at half time still level. County came out in the second half more determined, however their lack of pace in getting forward allowed the Brechin defence to get back in numbers and defend well.

The Brechin goal seemed to be a quick ball over the top that all the County defenders assumed would be offside so they all stopped. The Brechin forward played on as he hadn't heard the whistle (take not County defenders) and scored. Bullock (not for the first time) was raging.

Only the introduction of Dene Shields from the bench in the second half seemed to make County more potent and he finally got his first goal for the club.

Another three points and a very welcome three points considering the turmoil of the last week.

I think Kirkwood's tenure is on a shoogly peg already as they was no style or panache in the manner of the "County way". Incidentally this County way has been missing for years, probably since Cooper's tenure in the Third Division.

A nice break, new manager in and the next game is a tremedous game against Ayr.

Thought we were unfortunate not to come away with a draw yesterday, but don't think we did near enough for a win. City were by far the best team in the first half and our young strikeforce including new signing Gribben were causing County plenty of problems at the back (Geddes and Gribben's age combined is probably the same as Stewart Petrie alone). Charlie King was unlucky with his shot which hit the post. It was refreshing to see us go in at the break with confidence high instead of having a mountain to climb in the second half.

County's opener was a fairly scrappy affair with Petrie bundling the ball in at the back post, a really dossapointing goal to lose. But we kept our heads held high and we got a deserved equaliser when a lofted ball over the defence fell nicely for Gribben and he made no mistake by slotting the ball past Bullock. Good to see him get off the mark although I'm not all too sure about his celebration.

The manner in which we lost the winner just seconds later was dissapointing. A corner from the left found a totally unmarked Shields who had the easy job of heading powerfully into the net.

Overall, a decent enough performance and not too downhearted about the result. The squad we have at our disposal is too strong to be fighting a relegation battle and the results should come soon, hopefully starting with a win at home to Queens Park in a fortnight. It's absolutely crucial that we got 3 points from that or we'll give ourselves a massive mountain to climb.



Seen him a few times now and he's done a decent job. Hasn't made any mistakes so far although he hasn't done anything spectacular. The signing of Dyer has allowed Stuart Callaghan to move into his more favoured position in midfield.



One of the best City players on the park. Showed good awareness and some of his touches and passing were fantastic. Good to see him get off the mark so early and hopefully there will be more to come from him.

As far as Dyer's concerned, I'd take him in an instant. I'm not against Callaghan playing left back, but with Dyer it means that we have a natural left back who can play as well as Callaghan in midfield to create things.

DIVISION THREE CALLING........

Spoke to one Brechin fan yesterday and I think he said he had travelled up from Leeds!.Now thats devotion.
All the away fans I spoke to yesterday were really friendly-great support despite the small number.

What about Alex Smith's team? (In the beginning...)

Shame about the way he seems to have turned against the club though.


Hopefully, when is the best time to unveil the new man?

Maybe we should think about getting him in in time to get a full week's preparation in before the Ayr game? i.e preparing the defenders to duck Moore's elbows if they want to avoid a broken jaw.

Again, another person that has had the dirty done on him by the club.

I wasn't too bothered about Smith leaving as he wasn't doing very much, and we were really poor with him in charge.

However the club gave him a new contract - one of these rolling contracts, then while he was on holiday the club changed their mind and sacked him.. That being less than a month after the new rolling contract was given to him. - And I believe it was terminated via a phone call !

So no wonder he wants to stick the boot in when ever he can.

He's not the only one either that wants to stick the boot in after leaving, just look at Stuart Taylor, John Robertson, Gardener Spiers, David Winters, Colin Fettes (club doctor for as long as I can remember) and Dougie Sim (again the club physio for as long as I can remember) - every one of them has something negative to say after being sacked/leaving...

They can't all be wrong surely !

Indeed. I was glad to see the back of Smith as the results and indeed (at the risk of sounding like MacGregor) the performances just didn't justify the amount of money the club had pissed up against the wall in wages. Given the way he was handed a contract and then told to GTF after going on holiday though I think he's been quite restrained when it comes to commenting on County. The guy would have every right to stick the boot in at every opportunity but doesn't, now is possibly the first time I've really seen him wag the finger at the people at the head of the operation since his own dismissal.

I was in no way sad to see the back of Smith but you are right, the way he was dismissed was pathetic and as the Yanks would say, bush league. Embarassing way to run the club. Cannot blame him, or any of the other guys that have left in less than rosey circumstances in the past few seasons for the comments he's made in the paper. Seem perfectly fair, and definitely not the rantings of a bitter man, which in regards to Adams and MacGregor he would have every right to be.

At least we haven't been rotting there for over a decade!

Does he realise it's been over 5 years since we last played those diddies Montrose in a league match?

Remember it's three points for a win nowadays, just in case you'd forgotten!

good comeback even if it took you a few days...

.....been overcelebrating our recent run of excellent form.