Ross County's flawless start to the League One season ended with a frustrating 2-2 draw away to East Fife on Saturday, September 5th. Manager Stuart Kettlewell's post-match comments to the Ross-shire Journal revealed significant anger about his team's failure to secure victory after taking the lead at Bayview Park.
Why was the manager so frustrated?
Stuart Kettlewell did not hide his feelings after the final whistle. "Real anger and frustration," he said on the club's social media channels. "Once we got ourselves ahead, and deservedly so, it looks like we would dominate the ball and create chances from wide areas." His team had won their opening four league matches, including a 4-0 victory over East Kilbride the previous weekend, making this the first points they had dropped all campaign. The draw leaves County second in the table with 12 points from five games, just one point behind leaders Hamilton Academical. You can see the full standings for the latest league positions.
How did the match unfold?
The Staggies broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute through Adam Emslie's opening goal. That advantage lasted only eight minutes before East Fife's Cammie Ross equalised on the hour mark. County pushed for a winner but had to wait until injury time for Kieran Phillips to score their second equaliser of the afternoon. The team's defensive record this season remains strong with only two goals conceded in five matches, but Kettlewell specifically highlighted the need for better decision-making and composure at the back. He promised a thorough review, stating, "The message will be what we done wrong, which we will look at as we always do."
What does this mean for the title race?
Despite the setback, Ross County's position remains strong. They have scored ten goals while conceding just two, giving them a healthy +8 goal difference. Their recent form reads WWWWD after four straight wins preceded this draw. The gap to Hamilton is minimal, and with a game against fifth-placed Peterhead at home on November 7th next, County have an immediate chance to respond. The full fixtures list shows the challenging run ahead. Kettlewell will demand an immediate improvement in standards from his squad as they aim to reclaim top spot.
What comes next for Ross County?
Attention now turns to cup competition. This Saturday, County host Premiership side Hibernian at Dingwall in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final. It represents a significant test against higher-league opposition and a chance to bounce back quickly from league disappointment. The manager's task is to channel the frustration from Methil into a focused performance. He will also need to assess his squad options ahead of this demanding fixture. Ross County's next League One match is at home to Peterhead on November 7th.
