2006 Scottish Challenge Cup final

The 2006 Scottish Challenge Cup final was an association football match between Ross County and Clyde on 12 November 2006 at McDiarmid Park in Perth.[2] It was the 16th final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League.

2006 Scottish Challenge Cup final
The match programme cover
Event2006–07 Scottish Challenge Cup
After extra time
Ross County won 5–4 on penalties[1]
Date12 November 2006
VenueMcDiarmid Park, Perth
RefereeC. Thomson
Attendance4,062
2005
2007

The match was Ross County's second appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup Final since losing in 2004, whilst it was Clyde's first national final in 48 years since winning the Scottish Cup in 1958. The tournament was contested by clubs below the Scottish Premier League, with both finalists coming from the First Division.

Roddy Hunter scored first for Clyde in the 43rd minute with Andy Dowie equalising the score at 1–1 in the 80th minute for Ross County to force extra time. Clyde were reduced to 10 men during extra time after Eddie Malone was sent-off after receiving a second yellow card. The score remained 1–1 and the winner was decided by a penalty shoot-out. Both teams scored four of their first five penalties and Jason Crooks scored the winner for Ross County after Neil McGregor missed the decider for Clyde.[3]

Route to the final

edit

Ross County

edit
Round Opposition Score
First round East Fife (a) 3–0
Second round Alloa Athletic (h) 2–1 (a.e.t.)
Quarter-final Gretna (h) 3–2 (a.e.t.)
Semi-final Albion Rovers (h) 4–1[4]

Clyde

edit
Round Opposition Score
Second round Montrose (a) 3–0
Quarter-final Ayr United (h) 1–0
Semi-final Greenock Morton (h) 3–1[5]

Team news

edit

Ross County started with a 4-4-2 formation. Alex Williams, who was Clyde's top scorer the previous season, missed the match through injury along with Sean Higgins and Fergus Tiernan. Craig Samson started in goals for County, with on loan Celtic duo Gary Irvine and Michael Gardyne also getting starts. Gardyne was partnered by Frenchman Amick Ciani, the only non-Scot in both squads, in attack. Experienced duo Don Cowie and Derek Adams were partnered in the centre of midfield. The midfield was completed by youngsters Craig Gunn and Martin Scott. Midfielder Kevin McKinlay found himself in the unfamiliar position of left back, playing alongside Andy Dowie and Alex Keddie. Jason Crooks, who would go on to score the winning penalty, was making his first senior appearance from the bench.[citation needed]

Clyde used their preferred 3-5-2 formation. Star striker Dougie Imrie missed the game through injury, which he picked up in the previous game, as did Steven Masterton, who was suffering from a knee injury. Michael McGowan and Gary Arbuckle were both suspended, after picking up their second yellow cards of the competition at the semi-final stage. Goalkeeper David Hutton made only his fourth appearance for the club, with the consistent trio of Craig McKeown, Neil McGregor and Chris Higgins in front of him. The suspension to McGowan meant a rare start for Ryan McCann at right wing back, with Eddie Malone took up position on the opposite flank. Captain Paul McHale played in the middle of the park, alongside Craig Bryson and Stephen O'Donnell, with Andy Ferguson and Roddy Hunter forming the attack. The squad was so stretched that manager Joe Miller named himself amongst the substitutes.[citation needed]

Match details

edit
Ross County1–1 (a.e.t.)Clyde
Dowie   80' Report Hunter   43'
Penalties
Gardyne  
Robertson  
McKinlay  
Adams  
Irvine  
Crooks  
5–4   O'Donnell
  McGregor
  McCann
  Miller
  McHale
  Higgins
Attendance: 4,062
Referee: Craig Thomson
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ross County
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Clyde
ROSS COUNTY:
GK 1   Craig Samson
RB 2   Gary Irvine
CB 3   Alex Keddie
CB 4   Andy Dowie   39'   80'
LB 5   Kevin McKinlay
RM 6   Craig Gunn
CF 7   Michael Gardyne
CM 8   Derek Adams
CF 9   Amick Ciani   17'   115'
CM 10   Don Cowie (captain)   102'
LM 11   Martin Scott   25'   117'
Substitutes:
GK 12   Joe Malin
DF 14   Mark McCulloch
DF 15   Hugh Robertson   102'
MF 16   Stuart Anderson   117'
FW 17   Jason Crooks   115'
Manager:
  Scott Leitch
CLYDE:
GK 1   David Hutton
CB 2   Neil McGregor   119'
LWB 3   Eddie Malone   93'
CB 4   Chris Higgins   117'
CB 5   Craig McKeown
CM 6   Paul McHale (captain)
CM 7   Craig Bryson   107'
CM 8   Stephen O'Donnell   51'
CF 9   Andy Ferguson   79'
CF 10   Roddy Hunter   43'   79'
RWB 11   Ryan McCann   115'
Substitutes:
FW 12   Sean McKenna   79'
DF 14   Robert Harris
FW 15   Kevin Bradley   79'
MF 16   Joe Miller   108'   107'
GK 17   Peter Cherrie
Manager:
  Joe Miller

MATCH OFFICIALS

MATCH RULES

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if scores are level
  • Penalty shootout if scores still level
  • Five named substitutes
  • Maximum of 3 substitutions

References

edit
  1. ^ The Scottish Football League Challenge Cup Final Results, scottishfootballleague.com. Scottish Football League. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Scottish League Challenge Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  3. ^ Ross County 1-1 Clyde (aet), news.bbc.co.uk. BBC Sport. 12 November 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Ross County 4–1 Albion Rovers". BBC Sport. 27 September 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  5. ^ "Clyde 3-1 Greenock Morton". BBC Sport. 27 September 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2010.