Match Report: Airdrieonians 1-3 Ross County

By Joe Morrison

Ross County continued their fine start to the season with a 3-1 victory over Airdrieonians at the Albert Bartlett Stadium.

Stuart Kettlewell’s side have won six successive games across all competitions and sit second in the League One table, one point behind Hamilton Accies, albeit with a game in hand over their rivals.

The Staggies were victorious over the Diamonds in the Premier Sports Cup, and two first-half goals from Adam Emslie and Jamie Lindsay put them on course to repeat that scoreline.

However, Lewis Gibson’s strike on the 50th-minute mark gave his side brief hope before Akil Wright headed home from an Emslie corner to seal the points.

Stuart Kettlewell made one change to the side that defeated Dunfermline Athletic last week. Ross Docherty was ruled out with an injury and replaced by Adam Forrester, who made his first start in a County shirt. 

In the opening 10 minutes, Graham was screaming for a penalty kick after his strike appeared to hit an Airdrie hand. Graham, who has 7 goals to his name, was almost on the scoresheet again, but his header bounced wide of the post.

The deadlock was broken 3 minutes later when Adam Emslie collected a McCarvel pass and smashed an unstoppable effort beyond Jamie Sneddon, scoring his first league goal for the club.

A second followed shortly after, on 34 minutes, when Sneddon let an Emslie shot spill from his grasp, leaving it at the feet of Brian Graham. The skipper showed composure, cutting it back to Jamie Lindsay, who fired home his third goal of the season.

County were in complete control and were threatening to put the game beyond Airdrie in the first half. However, early in the second half, Lewis Gibson curled a great effort from outside the box into the corner of the net.

And he should have made it two just minutes later, when he was clean through with just Foster to beat. Fortunately, he sent his effort wide of Foster’s goal.

The game became something of an end-to-end affair before Akil Wright held off Devine's challenge and headed home from an Emslie corner, ensuring the three points were headed back up to Dingwall.

Airdrie: Sneddon, Fisher (Devine 60), Gallacher, Ross, MacDonald, Simpson (Yates 45), Gallacher (Taylor 12), Bridge, McLeish (Mahon 60), Gibson, Burnside.

Subs: Boateng, Devine, Easton, Lister, Mahon, Melrose, Taylor, Williams, Yates.

Ross County: Foster, Forrester (Smith 60), Wright, Reid, Strapp, Randall, McCarvel (Chin 60), Turner (Phillips 68), Lindsay, Emslie (Macleod 85), Graham (Jamieson 85).

Subs: Chin, Jamieson, MacLeod, Phillips, Reid, Smith, Wade, Williamson.