2011 Scottish Challenge Cup final

Queen of the South have appeared in the final twice before, winning the 2002 final 2–0 against Brechin City, but losing the 1997 final 1–0 to Falkirk. Ross County have appeared in three Challenge Cup finals to date, defeating Clyde on penalties in the 2006 final{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/6137982.stm |title=Ross County 1-1 Clyde (aet) |publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2010-11-07 |date=2006-11-12}} but losing the 2004 final to Falkirk,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/3984441.stm|title=Falkirk 2-1 Ross County |date=2004-11-07|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2010-11-07}} and the 2008 final to Airdrie United on penalties.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/airdrie_united/7730751.stm|title=Airdrie Utd 2-2 Ross County |date=2008-11-16|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2010-11-07}}

Both teams have recently appeared in the Scottish Cup final. Queens were beaten 3–2 in 2008 Scottish Cup final by Rangers. County were beaten 3–0 by Dundee United two years later in the 2010 Scottish Cup final.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on 28 November 2010. However the game was postponed at noon the day before the game after consultation with police voicing concerns over weather conditions particularly on the A9.[http://qosfc.com/new_newsview.aspx?newsid=332"Alba Cup Final is OFF" www.qosfc.com 27 Nov 2010] Due to the Scottish football referee strike, the original fixture was scheduled to be officiated by foreign officials. The revised final date was 10 April 2011.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/9400697.stm "Challenge Cup final rescheduled for 10 April" BBC Sport 17 February 2011]

The match was televised live on BBC Alba.

The game was played in unseasonally warm conditions with bright sunshine and a good natured atmosphere generated by both sets of fans. An early goal gave County a dream start but it was a nightmare for Queens and in particular goalkeeper David Hutton. Asked to deal with a routine passback by Queens captain David Lilley, a combination or poor decision making and poor ball control on Hutton's part allowed Andrew Barrowman to exert pressure and dispossess him. Barrowman easily rolled the ball into the empty net from one yard in the eighth minute to make the score 1–0 against his former club.[http://qosfc.com/new_report.aspx?fixtureid=361 "Queen of the South 0 - 2 Ross County" www.qosfc.com 11 April 2011] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402034541/http://qosfc.com/new_report.aspx?fixtureid=361 |date=2 April 2012 }}

Queens only exerted pressure in the five-minute period leading up to County's second goal when they forced goalmouth scrambles. However, a swift County counterattack led to a ball from the right wing, with Iain Vigurs scoring from close range in 39 minutes to make it 2–0.

County were deserved winners without having to exert themselves against a Queens side who were easily second best in all departments and short of ideas other than aiming long balls at Derek Holmes.

{{football box |

date = 10 April 2011|

time = 15:00|

team1 = Queen of the South|

score = 0 – 2 |

report = [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/9450656.stm Report] |

team2 = Ross County|

goals1 = |

goals2 = Barrowman {{goal|9}}
Vigurs {{goal|39}}|

stadium = McDiarmid Park, Perth|

referee = Euan Norris|

attendance = 5,124 }}

|-

|CM ||6 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Stephen McKenna || {{yel|}}

|-

|RM ||7 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Daniel Carmichael || || {{suboff|72}}

|-

|CM ||8||{{flagicon|SCO}} Paul Burns

|-

|CF ||9 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Derek Holmes

|-

|CM ||10||{{flagicon|SCO}} Allan Johnston

|-

|CF ||11 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Willie McLaren

|-

|colspan=4|Substitutes:

|-

|GK ||12||{{flagicon|SCO}} Roddy McKenzie

|-

|MF ||14||{{flagicon|SCO}} Ian McShane

|-

|DF ||15||{{flagicon|SCO}} Steven Black

|-

|FW ||16 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Steven Degnan || || {{subon|72}}

|-

|FW ||17 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Ryan Smylie

|-

|colspan=4|Manager:

|-

|colspan="4"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Kenny Brannigan

|}

|valign="top" width="50%"|

|-

|CB ||5 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Scott Boyd

|-

|CB ||6||{{flagicon|NIR}} Johnny Flynn

|-

|RM ||7 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Michael Gardyne || || {{suboff|87}}

|-

|CM ||8||{{flagicon|SCO}} Stuart Kettlewell

|-

|CF ||9||{{flagicon|SCO}} Andrew Barrowman || {{yel|}} || {{suboff|90}}

|-

|CM ||10 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Richard Brittain (c)

|-

|CF ||11 ||{{flagicon|SCO}} Iain Vigurs

|-

|colspan=4|Substitutes:

|-

|FW ||12||{{flagicon|SCO}} Steven Milne || || {{subon|87}}

|-

|FW ||14||{{flagicon|SCO}} Gary Wood || || {{subon|90}}

|-

|FW ||15||{{flagicon|SCO}} Steven Craig

|-

|DF ||16||{{flagicon|SCO}} Scott Morrison || || {{subon|90}}

|-

|GK ||18||{{flagicon|SCO}} Joe Malin

|-

|colspan=4|Manager:

|-

|colspan="4"|{{flagicon|SCO}} Jimmy Calderwood

|}

|}

|width=50% valign=top|

Ross County

|}

{{reflist|2}}

{{Scottish Challenge Cup Finals}}

{{2010-11 in Scottish football}}

{{Queen of the South F.C. matches}}

{{Ross County F.C. matches}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scottish Challenge Cup Final 2011}}

2011

Category:Ross County F.C. matches

Category:Queen of the South F.C. matches

Final

Category:Sport in Perth, Scotland

Category:April 2011 sports events in the United Kingdom

Category:Football in Perth and Kinross