Ross County 6-1 Alloa

Feb 10 2008

Alasdair Fraser At Victoria Park

RED-FACED gaffer Allan Maitland last night told of his shame after Alloa were crushed by the leaders.

The boss watched in horror as his men were put to the sword by a red-hot County side claiming their eighth win on the spin.

Maitland admitted they were up against a team on top form. But he was seething with his players' efforts and insisted anyone would have been beaten them yesterday.

Now he's preparing to axe the stars who flopped in Dingwall.

Maitland said: "I'm embarrassed to be the manager of Alloa Athletic after that. We were absolutely diabolical. We played a team at the top of their game and good luck to them, they played well.

"But it was a day when anybody could have beaten us.

"We were poor and didn't deal with anything they put into the box. Everyone who didn't play now looks like an automatic for our next game."

County hadn't suffered defeat since December when the Wasps lowered their colours. But they took revenge in style with a win that will rattle their title rivals.

Derek Adams' men produced a brilliant first-half display that settled the game early.

They were in ruthless mood from the off, moving the ball aggressively and at pace.

And when keeper Ray Jellema spilled a Stuart Golabek free-kick in 10 minutes Dene Shields tucked away the rebound.

But the opener was denied by an offside flag.

However, within two minutes County swept in front and it came from a wonderful move.

Sean Higgins released Adam Strachan who drove in a low cross. Skipper Golabek powered between defenders to slam home an eight-yard volley.

Higgins rattled the post in 26 minutes and County had a strong penalty claim waved away when Steven McKeown seemed to haul down Strachan.

But their second arrived in 33 minutes. Gary Miller's low cross found Andrew Barrowman and he drove home his 18th of the season.

Three minutes later Higgins wriggled past three defenders at the edge of the box and blasted home a superb third.

Alloa fell further behind in 55 minutes. Higgins' free-kick was headed across goal by Barrowman, leaving Shields to nod in an easy fourth on the line.

The fifth came in 61 minutes, Higgins' corner headed home by defender Alex Keddie.

In a rare breakaway in 75 minutes Alloa's Adam Coakley just failed to lob keeper Tony Bullock. And seconds later sub Michael Gardyne hit the post.

Coakley finally shot past Bullock in 88 minutes to notch Wasps' consolation. But their rally was short-lived as Andy Dowie thundered a shot into the roof of the net for County's sixth.

Player-boss Adams was delighted with the result but said: "Over-confidence is something we have to avoid.

"However, when you are confident, as our lads are, you want to pass and play as we did.

"We have a lot of players determined to do well. Long may that continue."

SEAN HIGGINS clearly enjoyed his new role playing just off Barrowman and was at the top of his game. Sharp and inventive in great display.

STEVEN McKEOWN had a torrid time. He wasn't helped by his team-mates and kept plugging away but he'll want to forget this match in a hurry.