Young Ross County team exit Scottish Cup with pride intact after full Global Energy Stadium match-day experience
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Ross County under 18s 1
Kilmarnock under 18s 4
Ross County’s under 18s left the field with heads held high tonight after impressing against the current best team in the country in their age group.
Club Academy Scotland Elite league leaders Kilmarnock were huge pre-match favourites against hosts from a level below.
They had just recently beaten Rangers and Aberdeen,while drawing with Celtic.
But the young County side, coached by head of professional academy Carl Tremarco, more than held their own in an enthralling first half, before Killie's class told to book a place in the fourth round.
After a bright start where the Staggies moved the ball well, Killie grasped a 12th minute lead, with captain Ruari Ellis sharp onto a free-kick to finish from 10 yards.
There was no inferiority complex from the Dingwall lads and, after 24 minutes, Copeland Thain beat his man superbly and slipped a fine pass through to Ethan Kevill.
Kevill went within a whisker of the right hand post from 18 yards.
On the half hour, County were level from the penalty spot after Killie’s Ben Brannan slid in and took down Calum Brown at full flight on the left inside the box.
After a re-take, County’s Jamie Williamson sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 1-1.
Three minutes before the break, the hosts might have gone ahead but Ali Morrison struck the inside post with keeper Corey Armour well-beaten.
The second half had barely started when County’s Blair Robertson misjudged a flighted ball forward and Zander Craik ran through to beat keeper Ethan Rae with ease.
County fought on and Thain’s screamer from distance rose just over the crossbar on the hour.
Five minutes later, a wonderful moment extended Killie’s lead.
Cole Burke took a brilliant touch inside on a long angled ball to the left and then unleashed a stunning 25-yard strike into the top left corner.
Craik’s 70th minute finish as the ball rebounded off the post made it 4-1 as the young Staggies tired.
County:
1. Ethan Rae
12. Jamie Robertson
4. Blair Robertson
5. Ali Morrison
3. Zach MacPhee
17. Lewis Mackay
8. Jamie Williamson
25. Ethan Kevill
6. Copeland Thain
14. Kieran Macgregor
9. Calum Brown
Subs:
18. Aidan Colligan
16. Torran Lambie
20. Oliver Lamont
22. Matthew Robertson
11. Fergus Ross
2. Sebastian Tremarco
10. Rio Hastings
