Ross County's impressive unbeaten run this season came to a dramatic end on Tuesday night, as they were edged out 4-3 by Aberdeen's Emerging Talent Squad in the KDM Evolution Trophy. The Dingwall side, currently second in League One with 13 points from five games, had not lost in their previous 12 competitive matches before this cup tie at the Global Energy Stadium.
How did the match unfold?
Aberdeen's young side, featuring six players with first-team experience, took a shock two-goal lead into half-time. Andrew Fasanya struck twice in the first half, finding the net in the 13th and 22nd minutes. County manager Don Cowie had made several changes to his lineup ahead of Saturday's Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Hibernian, resting key figures like Brian Graham and Jamie Lindsay. Kieran Phillips pulled a goal back for the hosts seven minutes after the restart, but Findlay Marshall restored the visitors' two-goal cushion on 62 minutes. Phillips struck again four minutes later to make it 3-2, setting up a frantic finale.
What happened in the dramatic finish?
The match turned when Aberdeen's Marshall was shown a straight red card by referee Mark Daly in the 69th minute, reducing his side to ten men. Ross County pressed for an equaliser and finally found it in the third minute of added time through substitute Luke McCarvel. The joy was short-lived. Straight from the kick-off, Aberdeen went up the pitch and Joseph Teasdale scored a stunning winner in the 94th minute to seal a 4-3 victory. The result was reported by the official Aberdeen FC website, www.afc.co.uk.
What did the Aberdeen coach say?
Stuart Duff, the coach of the Aberdeen Emerging Talent Squad, praised his team's character. "The game ebbed and flowed in either direction, with the team going down to 10 men," Duff said. "Ross County are a really quality side, as we could see with the players they took on." He added that the most pleasing aspect was how his players handled the pressure. "We had to stand up to quite a lot of pressure, and that’s probably the pleasing part."
Where does this leave Ross County?
Despite the cup setback, County's league form remains strong. They sit second in League One, just three points behind leaders Hamilton Academical, with a goal difference of +8 from 12 goals scored and only four conceded. Their next challenge is a league fixture at home to Peterhead on November 7th. Fans can track the team's progress in the standings and view the full fixtures list. The focus now shifts to Saturday's key Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at home, where a strong performance will be expected.
Bradley Wade started in goal for County, wearing the number 31 shirt, while Rodrigo Vitols was between the posts for Aberdeen. Jack Milne captained the visiting side, which managed to win despite having only 41% of possession. County used all five of their available substitutes in an attempt to change the game's momentum.
