Ross County lost their hold on both the Challenge and North of Scotland Cups, following defeats to Elgin City and St Johnstone on consecutive nights.

At Borough Briggs Elgin City took advantage of an unfamiliar County line up featuring several Under 19’s as well as new loan signing Gary Miller to take a two goal lead into the half time break with the first goal coming courtesy of Craig Frizzel, on loan to Elgin from the Staggies. Half time substitute Alex Cooper brought County back into the game on 53 minutes when he scored a diving header to pull a goal back, before the same player set-up David Allan to level the match with just 1 minute of normal time left. If County had put on a late show, City were to put on a late late one with Darren Shallicker smashing a 90 th minute free kick past a helpless Matthew Curtis in the County goal to secure a final berth for Elgin and dash County’s hopes of retaining the North of Scotland Cup for the first time in the Club’s history.

The very next night offered the Club a chance to make amends, with St Johnstone arriving in Dingwall on Challenge Cup business. County started brightly with new signing Paul Lawson providing energy in the middle of the park and Martin ‘Jimmy’ Scott apparently relishing an opportunity to play on the right of mid-field. Both Barrowman and Petrie looked dangerous up front and several chances were created by the Staggies before St Johnstone took the lead completely against the run of play on 14 minutes. Andy Dowie failed to clear his lines and Kenny Deuchar was on hand to smash home a shot from the edge of the 18 yard box – beating Matthew Curtis courtesy of a deflection which sent the ball looping over the 16 year old stopper. County continued to press hard and created numerous chances before th interval, none of which they were able to convert.

County looked to have come out of the dressing room with all guns blazing for the second half, and both Scott and Petrie could have levelled the tie in the opening minutes. However the Saints again scored against the run of play when Gary Irvine, who had been one of County’s penalty heroes in the final the season before, returned to haunt his former team mates when his 49 th minute cross was met by Andy Jackson who knocked it past Curtis into the net.

Despite changing to a 4-3-3 and finally a 3-4-3, County couldn’t find a way back into the game and it 0-2 it finished. County can now concentrate on the real business of winning promotion back to the First Division, but they will have been disappointed to lose after playing some of their best football of the season so far.