Just In...

[Collins Out!]

Rowson is injured.

[Fearchar]

Well that was another good result at Dingwall. Jags were not troubed as much as their last game there. Ross County have definitely gone back a bit since last season. Dia guacamole and Coco were very poor - I blame McCall for getting rid off them! Halliwell had a much easier game than his last one against RC. I thought the current Thistle tream are poor at crosses but RC were absolutely dreadful at crosses in this game. Paton and goal machine Paddy Boyle stuck to their tasks well. Archie was clearly a bit rusty for the first twenty minutes then picked up fine. The rest of the defence were solid including Kinniburgh. Cairney grafted away in deep midfield as did Macnamara. Flannigan showed nice touches and put in some good crosses. Doolan didn't get much joy from the two RC central defenders - Scott Boyd and their number 6 were County's best players - but he tried really hard. Grehan, however, did cause their defenders problems. He can 'put himself about' a bit and he definitely made a difference compared to last week's team.

 

Rowson, Donnelly, Buchanan and Hodge have all been off form lately so they were dropped. The team played so much better than last week. I blame McCall! Liam looked better coming on as a sub rather than as an automatic starter.

 

It should be a good game next Sunday. County have a better record than us in cups in recent years and they will want to play better than they did yesterday. But it's time we won a trophy again.

Our household's analysis panel (!) thought that Grehan, who was repeatedly being held back or down by defenders earlier on, was wandering about looking lost later in the game, and that, if anything, he should have been substituted and Doolan kept on (where does he get the energy from?) when Buchanan was brought on. Grehan also missed a sitter in the first half and didn't seem able to communicate effectively with the other players (including his striking partners Doolan and Buchanan).

 

The whole team seemed to want to retreat into a very deep-lying defensive formation, and was prepared to clear the ball from there straight to the opposition. Against a more effective attack, we'd have been punished for that. The RC style of play was poor (Scottish kick-and-rush), and they had one shot on target, as far as we can remember - and that was straight at Halliwell (who dropped it the first time, but had time to collect it again).

 

Apart from the win, of course, the really encouraging thing was how the players seemed both organised and eager. It must be good for Erskine's confidence to nick a goal, too - especially with his right foot. Let's hope that he realises it's there for more than standing on. McNamara seemed to fade a lot in the second half, but Archie was our man of the match - mostly in defending, but also coming up the pitch to add a bit of support to midfield when the team needed to come forward.

[Jaggernaut]

 

Apart from the win, of course, the really encouraging thing was how the players seemed both organised and eager. It must be good for Erskine's confidence to nick a goal, too - especially with his right foot. Let's hope that he realises it's there for more than standing on. McNamara seemed to fade a lot in the second half, but Archie was our man of the match - mostly in defending, but also coming up the pitch to add a bit of support to midfield when the team needed to come forward.

A few photos show Archie putting in what looks like some excellent tackles.

[The Earl of Hathaway]

Judging by the haircut, he's back to the legendary 'Sten-gunner' Archibald of a good few seasons ago...

 

http://www.ptfc.co.uk/media/photo_galleries/match_galleries/2010-2011/0210_ross_county/image_012

 

Go on yersel Big Man!