First team

The Preview: Arbroath vs Ross County

31/10/2025

By Ramsay Banks

Ross County will look to win consecutive league matches for the first time this season as they make the journey to Tayside on Saturday to face Arbroath.

The Lichties have made a flying start to the campaign, sitting in fourth place after 12 matches under co-managers David Gold and Colin Hamilton. Having lost away to Airdrieonians last time out they will be a dangerous opponent as they look to stop County from gaining momentum.

Kick-off is at 3pm at Gayfield Park.

Ross County

The Staggies made a big stride forward last week as they bested Dunfermline in a topsy-turvy affair.

Goals from Scott Fraser and Jordan White had County in dreamland in the opening minutes of the game, but the Pars battled back to 2-2 thanks to goals from Andrew Tod and Barney Stewart. Ronan Hale eventually sealed a 3-2 win for Tony Docherty’s men with an acrobatic effort.

The objective now for the Dingwall side will be to pick up a head of steam and push up the table. A win against Arbroath cannot put the Staggies any higher in the league this week, but would bring them all the closer to those coveted playoff places.

Docherty spoke after the win against Dunfermline of the importance of making the Global Energy Stadium a fortress while also picking up points on the road, so will hope for a big result at Gayfield.

Player to watch: Scott Fraser

Scott Fraser has forced himself into being one of the first names on Ross County’s team sheet under Docherty, and was rewarded last week with an absolute peach of a first goal for the club.

Now a key piece of the Staggies midfield, Fraser’s presence has been crucial as the team tries to stamp their authority on matches in the way it was hoped they would before the season started.

That will remain his primary mission, but more goalscoring heroics wouldn’t go amiss as County attempt to take all three points back up the road with them at 5 o’clock on Saturday.

Arbroath

The Lichties will look to get back on track on Saturday and not let a frustrating defeat to Airdrieonians mar what has been a very impressive season so far.

Despite being the only team in the top half of the league table with a negative goal difference, Gold and Hamilton’s men are a very capable side and look good value for their league position - which happens to be the final playoff spot.

The only time Arbroath fell to defeat at Gayfield this season was in a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Dunfermline, but their home form since points to this as being a blip.

In their past two matches on home soil they dispatched Queen’s Park 4-1, before putting the brakes on St. Johnstone’s title charge with a 3-1 win.

If the Staggies are to take all three points, they’ll have to show the goalscoring for they did against the Pars, while making improvements in defence to ensure they don’t get punished like the Saints.

Player to watch: Findlay Marshall

Those in charge at Pittodrie will be taking notice of goings on at Gayfield this season, as Dons loanee Findlay Marshall has been ripping up the Championship on behalf of the Lichties.

Having scored six of Arbroath’s sixteen goals in the league, it’s clear to see that keeping Marshall quiet goes a massive way towards any team's plans of coming out on top in their games.

Doing so is much easier said than done - Marshall has scored four goals in as many matches. There is hope though as he, and the rest of the team, blanked in their 1-0 defeat to Airdrie.

The Staggies may well use that as a blueprint as they look to further stem Marshall’s hot streak of form.

Familiar faces

Ross Callachan is now at Arbroath after leaving Ross County for Motherwell last year but will not be involved as he is out injured. Ryan Dow however, is fit and will likely feature for the Lichties having played for County from 2016-2019.

Dylan Smith spent the first portion of last season on loan at Arbroath and was a mainstay in their back line, making 12 appearances.

Team News

Noah Chilvers and Andrew Macleod are out.

Ross Docherty has returned to training.

Alex Iacovitti is a doubt.

Refereeing team

Referee: Lloyd Wilson

AR1: Douglas Ross

AR2: Liam Duncan

Ticket Information

TICKETS MUST BE BOUGHT IN ADVANCE USING THE LINK BELOW AS ARBROATH DO NOT OPERATE A CASH TURNSTILE.

https://arbroathfc.co.uk/ticketing/away-tickets/