Highland League
1893-1894
September 16th 1893 Highland League Home V. Inverness Union Loss 2-1.
Goal Scorer Watson1.
September 23rd 1893 Highland League Home V. Inverness Citadel Draw 1-1.
Goal Scorer Watson1.
September 30th 1893 Highland League Home V. Clachnacuddin Loss 3-1.
Goal Scorer Mackenzie1.
AS has been well documented, Ross County were formed in 1929 – the same
year they joined the Highland League.
But there was a much earlier County team, who actually played three
games in the inaugural Highland League season of 1893/94.
The eight original members of the fledgling league were Cameron
Highlanders, Clachnacuddin, Forres Mechanics, Inverness Caledonian,
Inverness Citadel, Inverness Thistle, Inverness Union and Ross County.
One of County's three games was against old adversaries Clach at the
Jubilee Park, Dingwall, on Saturday, September 30, 1893.
It turned out to be somewhat controversial and the behaviour of some of
the Clach team that day did not go down too well with the Victorian
crowd.
The following match report appeared in the North Star:
Ross County (Dingwall) v Clachnacuddin (Inverness)
On Saturday the above teams met in the Jubilee Park, Dingwall, for the
purpose of deciding a Highland League tie. Although a sharp shower of
rain fell during the progress of the game, the weather was, on the
whole, favourable, and there was a large number of spectators.
The ground team, winning the toss, elected to play with the breeze in
their favour, and shortly after 4pm referee Colville gave the signal for
beginning the game. The Clach lads were immediately on the leather and
made for the home goal, but the County backs (Macrae and Cushnie),
playing a splendid game, were equal to the occasion, and repelled the
attack, returning the leather to the forward line. Carrying the ball
nicely forward, the left wing brought it within dangerous proximity of
the strangers goal, but it got behind. On kicking out, it fell to the
lot of the County right wing to bring it into goal mouth, where after
“bobbing” about for a short time, was nicely headed through the
Inverness posts by Mackenzie, outside left The ball being again brought
into play, another attack was made on the fort of the strangers, and
here, in order to save, Macgregor, the stranger's goalkeeper, took an
advantage for which the referee awarded “a foul.” a disgraceful scene
ensued, resulting in Macgregor being carried on in a rough,
ungentlemanly, and unsportsmanlike like manner. The play was everything
but agreeable to the spectators, and the game ultimately resulted in
victory for the strangers by three goals to one. The scene referred to
was one which, happily to say, is seldom witnessed on a football field.
The referee, Colville, was manifestly unprejudiced, and that he should
have received such treatment at the hands of his own townsmen
(Invernessians) goes a good length to show what knowledge they possess
of good breeding, and how to properly conduct themselves and control
their tempers. It is perhaps better to say nothing of the scene which
occurred; suffice to say that it did not tend in any way to increase the
popularity of the game, but, on the contrary, has given rise to a very
strong feeling against it.”
As you can see the style of reporting has changed somewhat since those
early days.
County lost their Highland League fixture to Inverness Union 2-1 at the
Jubilee Park on September 16 – Watson having scored County's first ever
goal. The following Saturday, County were held to a 1-1 draw by
Inverness Citadel, again at Jubilee Park.
A match against Cameron Highlanders due to be played on October 14 had
to be postponed after 'the ground was declared unplayable.'
By November County mysteriously resigned from the league after a 'fall
out' with the Inverness Association. The ramifications from the Clach
game obviously ran deep.
Thanks to John MacLeod