Hamilton 0-0 Ross ounty

Ross County ended the season with a scoreless draw away to Hamilton Accies. This result means that Ross County finish the season in fourth place. But a little more worrying it also means that County ended the season with a spell of six games in where we failed to score a goal.

Our fourth ever league visit to New Douglas Park saw us fail to find the net in a game which County dominated in terms of possession, but failed to create many chances overall.

Scott Leitch made several changes to last week's team. Jim Lauchlan was replaced in central defence by Stuart Anderson, whose place in midfield was taken by Fergus Tiernan. Neil Hooks started his first ever game wide right of midfield, with Don Cowie playing inside him. John Rankin was moved further foward and in the first half played as the link man between the midfield four and Sean Higgins, who was playing as a lone striker. In the second half Rankin partnered Higgins up front in a 4-4-2 formation.

The game was played in brilliant sunshine, but we had to wait until the 15th minute for the first piece of goalmouth action. A Jaunjo cross-cum-shot from the far right caught the County defence by surprise, but just missed the far upright by a couple of feet and went out of play, with Joe Malin out of position and beaten.

Two minutes later John Rankin threaded a tight pass into the path of Lionel Djebi-Zadi who was running into the box, but his first time effort was rushed and it cleared the cross bar by a couple of feet.

County had the ball in the net on 20 after Neil Hooks drilled the ball low into the corner of the net after making space for himself on the edge of the area. The goal was chalked off however, presumably because Sean Higgins was in an offside position, although he was not interfering with play.

County should have scored after 25 minutes when John Rankin played an inch perfect cross to Kevin McKinlay from the right wing, but from 8 yards out he completely missed a free header, when it looked easier to score. Two minutes later the Hamilton keeper pulled off a good save from Rankin's low shot from the edge of the Dee.

John Rankin was involved again on the stroke of half time when a free kick from the left side of the box was played to the back post to Kevin McKinlay. However, his header back across the face of the goal was deflected into the keeper's arms.

So although we dominated the first half, we only had one shot on target to show for our efforts versus none for Hamilton.

There was even less incident in the second half, with both teams looking unlikely to score.........

On 57 minutes a John Rankin free kick from 22 yards out was drilled low and hard into the area. The ball took a deflection and Sean Higgins failed to connect by a couple of inches from six yards out, and the ball was cleared but the Hamilton defence.

Hamilton were coming more into the game and came very close on 68 minutes. A long ball was flighted from their half was played to their No. 11 on the left wing. He cut inside David Niven and passed the ball to the unmarked Scott Turnbridge at the back post. However, after wheeling the ball around, he shot wide across the other side of the goal and out of play from about four yards out -a real let off for County.

Craig Gunn replaced the tiring Fergus Tiernan on 76 minutes and this gave a bit more bite to the attack.

On 81 minutes Hamilton nearly stole it when a corner from the left was headed over the bar by about a foot by the unmarked Hamilton striker at the near post.

County came desperately close with 7 minutes left when Neil Hooks played a neat one-two with Don Cowie on the left edge of the area, and threaded a pass into the path of the onrushing Craig Gunn. Gunn's low first time effort from 14 yards out was hit with power, but came back of the post with the Hamilton keeper well beaten.......

So although we have now gone more than 9.5 hrs. without scoring, this result saw us equal our highest finish in Division One. The County players were applauded off the park in recognition of their effort over the whole season.

Today was a definite improvement on last week, but once again we displayed no cutting edge. John Rankin was probably our best player today as he was involved in nearly all of the play which created our chances. David Niven put in another very solid performance.

Well done lads nevertheless for your efforts over the whole season against often difficult odds........

County team : Malin, Niven, Djebi-Zadi, Webb, Hooks, Anderson, Rankin, Tiernan (Gunn 76), Higgins, Cowie, McKinlay

Subs not used: Stewart (GK), Winters, Nicholson, Cowan

Booked : Djebi-Zadi (30), Niven (31), McKinlay (61)