ROSS County spoiled more travel plans than the last volcanic ash cloud.
They may as well have reached out and pick-pocketed Inverness Caledonian Thistle's passports, such is the hurt they caused in the most significant Highland derby contested so far. In beating the Inverness club for the first time this season, at the sixth and final attempt, they denied their neighbours the three points they needed to secure a place in next season's Europa League qualifiers. Cruelly, after the theatre they have both provided for Highland football this season, one club denied the other and neither quite made it. The top three are in Europe and Inverness and County finished fourth and fifth.
It spoke volumes for just about everyone in Dingwall that both clubs, and their respective supporters, had the good sense to celebrate at full-time. This season has been a triumph for Highland football and they recognised it. A few other supports could learn something from Inverness' fans, who stayed to sing, bounce and chuck beach balls on the pitch at the end when convention dictated that they should desert the scene miserably.
This has been a remarkable season for Inverness and they acknowledged it, acclaiming Terry Butcher as he stood conducting their chants. One minute the manager was berating the fourth official, the next he was all smiles to the 1900 fans packing the away end.
County were out on the pitch at the same time, players, management and their children circling the pitch on an end-of-season lap of honour. The final league table shows both Highland clubs in the top five, when either of them making it amounts to a considerable over-achievement. County's rise has been the most remarkable, given that they were themselves in contention for European football until the penultimate weekend in their first season in the top flight.
If this was a day of celebration, though, rivalry still eclipsed shared interest when it came to County enjoying the fact they had denied their neighbours' effort to bring European football to the north. All Inverness had to do was come to Dingwall and win, but then again teams have been trying that without success all season.
County had lost only once at home in almost six months and only three times at home all season. The poor playing surface is usually held up as a contributory factor in that. This was the final match on the pitch before it is replaced in the summer, although actually it was better than it had been in many earlier games. It was County's attitude and overall quality which was too much for their rivals in a generally poor game, not their playing surface.
So much for this being the age of instant communication. Somehow the Inverness support – and what a racket they made for most of the afternoon – got the wrong end of the stick when news reached them of a goal at the St Johnstone game. They erupted, jumping and cheering in the mistaken belief that their only rival for the last Europa League place was losing, when in fact St Johnstone had gone ahead. Slowly silence fell over them as the truth spread.
Worse, seven minutes later Ross County deepened the hole they were in by scoring the opening goal. Inverness failed to clear Paul Lawson's corner, Iain Vigurs headed it on to Andre Hainault and the centre-half converted a crisp volley.
County were worth their win. Inverness had started well and might have scored when Aaron Doran's corner reached Daniel Devine at the far post, but County grew into the match after that. Ivan Sproule, Mihael Kovacevic, Steffen Wolfharth and Stuart Kettlewell all had chances. Their midfield was excellent.
Inevitably news reached the Inverness support and their players that St Johnstone had scored again at the start of the second half (all kick-offs being simultaneous yesterday). The three goals shared between Perth and Dingwall, each of them disadvantageous to the visitors, sapped the morale out of Butcher's side. They faded, unable to come up with a way to ask any questions of County. Only once did they come close, when David Raven's shot changed direction after Billy McKay deflected it. But County had all the possession, pressure and purpose – Iain Vigurs smashing a free-kick off the post in stoppage time.
At the end Inverness were beaten but unbowed, rightly proud of a terrific season. But they came ready for Europe, and County cut their journey to just the 14 miles back to Inverness.
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