CIS Insurance Cup
First Round
Saturday 1st August 2009
Ross County 5 Montrose 0

Montrose Football Club couldn’t repeat their heroics of Inverness as the crashed out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup at first round stage for the second season in a row at Dingwall on Saturday.
Montrose matched Ross County for the opening half but once again conceded a late first half goal, after that their was only goal to be one winner once the full time first division scored a second it was game over. A three goals in seven second half minutes also put an unfair look to the scoreline.
Two trips North to play to full time sides just proved to be a step too far for Steven Tweed’s young side but the gave their all in hot sticky conditions once again.
Now that the cup-ties are out of the way they can concentrate on the league and the visit of Elgin City to Links Park on Saturday for the opening match of the season.
Manager Steven Tweed made on change to the side from the side that played at Inverness. Gordon Pope came in at left back to replace the injured Sean Fleming.
Pope’s place on the bench went to Aaron Sinclair while another youngster Kieran Adams replaced Chris Herd.
The Ross County line up included Garry Wood playing against Montrose for the first time since leaving Links Park at the end of season 2007/08 whilst on loan from Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Ross County had a great chance to open the scoring in the third minute when Iain Vigurs met an inch perfect cross from Scott Morrison but his header went just past the far post from ten yards out.
A minute later a clearance from keeper McGovern was missed by the Montrose defence and found Steven Craig onside with only Coutts to beat but the young keeper did well to block with his feet at the edge of the box.
Montrose created an early chance a minute later when Gordon Pope crossed from the left but Daryl Nicol just couldn’t get on the end of it.
In the seventh minute a great through ball from Davidson played in Jon Voigt it looked marginal but assistant Pullar flagged for offside.
A minute later a corner from Morrison wasn’t cleared properly by the Montrose defence and the left back managed to get on the end of it and fire in a low effort which Coutts saved.
With 17 minutes gone John Gemmell took a free kick some 25 yards out from goal but his effort went well wide of Michael McGovern’s far post.
In the next minute Montrose created another good opportunity when Gemmell head flicked the ball to his strike partner Jon Voigt who beat his man inside the area and played a perfect ball across the face of goal but it find no takers.
Garry Wood then had his first chance of the afternoon but he could only volley straight into the arms of Steven Coutts.
Ross County kept up the pressure on Montrose and Paul Lawson was next to have a go but Steven Coutts once again parried away his effort at goal.
Gemmell was fouled by Paul Lawson giving Montrose a free kick in a wide area. Hegarty played the ball short to Pope but he cut inside, was tackled and the chance was gone.
A calm bit of defending by Sean Crighton saw him head the ball back to Coutts when inside the six yard area but the keeper gathered the ball and the danger was averted.
Gemmell won another free kick in the 33rd minute after a foul by Alex Keddie. Hegarty delivered a great ball, which was headed behind by Steven Watt for a Gable Endies corner kick. Nicol took the kick only for the ball to come back to him. The youngster crossed the ball back in only to find Gemmell in an offside position.
In the 37th minute Ross County were awarded a free kick when Pope conceded a free kick. Scott Morrison took the kick but Coutts again pulled off a great save,
After defending so well, like last week Montrose conceded a goal close to half time this time in the 43rd minute. With Campbell and Pope out of position Paul Lawson was allowed a run up the right flank and he fired a great ball across goal for STEVEN CRAIG to fire past Steven Coutts from close range.
In the opening minute of the second half referee Mike Tumilty booked Ross County defender Alex Keddie for a tackle from behind on Jon Voigt. From the free kick Gemmell headed the ball on but he could find no takers.
Wood then cut the ball back from the byeline and Chris Hegarty managed to block the ball away from Lawson and set up a counter attack. Anderson played the ball over the top, which Voigt was unable to reach.
In the 50th minute Nicol swung over a corner kick, which John Gemmell hooked over the crossbar.
Two minutes later a goal kick from Coutts found Voigt onside but the striker could only volley at keeper McGovern.
In the 57th minute Ross County scored a killer second goal. Garry Wood was allowed to get a cross over from the right when the ball looked out of play and with Hegarty unable to clear and the rest of the Montrose defence standing still MICHAEL GARDYNE was on hand to drill a low effort into the net from 12 yards out.
Montrose made a change in the 59th minute when Jordan Leyden came on to replace Jon Voigt.
Montrose went 4 – 3 – 3 with Nicol and Leyden on either side of Gemmell and Anderson, Davidson and Maitland in a midfield three.
Montrose had a great chance to score in the 62 minute when John Maitland delivered an inch perfect ball from the right which found Daryl Nicol unmarked inside the box some six yards out but he couldn’t make up his mind weather to head or shot and the chance was gone.
Ross County kept up the pressure and Steven Craig was next to have a go volleying straight at Coutts.
In the 65th minute Ross County made a change with Iain Vigurs being replaced by Martin Scott.
In the next minute Montrose had another good chance. Nicol won a free kick on the right. Hegarty swung the ball over and keeper McGovern pulled off a great stop from a Sean Crighton header at the far post.
It was game over for Montrose in the 72nd minute when Ross County scored a third goal. Left back SCOTT MORRISON played a one two with Lawson before firing a beauty into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Two minutes later Ross County scored again Steven Craig pulled the ball back from the right and MICHAEL GARDYNE was on hand once again to fire home into the bottom corner.
Ross County then made a double switch at the same time with Wood and Gardyne being replaced by Daniel Moore and John Stewart.
In the 76th minute Montrose made another change with Gordon Pope being replaced by Aaron Sinclair at left back.
It got worse for Montrose in the 79th minute when County scored again their third goal in seven minutes. Richard Brittain delivered the corner kick and JOHN STEWART bulleted the ball home past Coutts.
Three minutes later it was almost six another Brittain corner found Keddie he headed across goal to Steven Watt whose net bound header was kicked off the line.
With four minutes remaining Montrose made their final change with Nick Gray replacing John Maitland.
Montrose had one final chance for a consolation goal in the final minute. Gray and Nicol linked up and the ball fell to Jordan Leyden at the far post onside but McGovern did well to block his effort at the near post.