2004 Scottish Challenge Cup final

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2004 Scottish Challenge Cup final
2004 Scottish Challenge Cup Final programme cover.jpg
The match programme cover
Event 2004–05 Scottish Challenge Cup
Date7 November 2004
Venue McDiarmid Park, Perth
Referee K. Clark (Paisley)
Attendance7,471
2003
2005

The 2004 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the Bell's Cup final for sponsorship reasons, was an association football match between Falkirk and Ross County on 7 November 2004 at McDiarmid Park in Perth. [1] It was the 14th final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League.

Contents

Falkirk emerged winners after defeating Ross County 2–1 with goals from Neil Scally and Darryl Duffy [2] to win the tournament for a third time after winning the 1993 and 1997 finals.

Route to the final

Falkirk

Round Opposition Score
First round Ayr United (a) 3–0
Second round Stirling Albion (h) 5–3
Quarter-final Gretna (h) 3–0
Semi-final St Johnstone (a) 2–1

The first round draw paired The Bairns with Ayr United at Somerset Park with the home team emerging 3–0 victors. [3] The second round was a home game against neighbours Stirling Albion for Falkirk at Ochilview Park producing a high scoring 5–3 win [4] to progress to the quarter-finals. The opponents drawn were Gretna at home in the quarter-finals and Falkirk won with their second 3–0 victory of the tournament. [5] The reward for reaching the semi-final was an away game at St. Johnstone with Falkirk edging out the opponents to win 2–1 to book a place in the final. [6] Falkirk reached the Scottish Challenge Cup final for the third time, since winning the 1993 final against St Mirren and defeating Queen of the South in the 1997 final.

Ross County

Round Opposition Score
First round St Mirren (h) 2–1
Second round Peterhead (a) 2–1
Quarter-final Partick Thistle (h) 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 pen.)
Semi-final Forfar Athletic (h) 5–2

Ross County were drawn against St. Mirren at home in the first round and County produced a 2–1 victory [3] over the club. The second round draw saw The Staggies drawn against Peterhead away from home with Ross County emerging 2–1 winners [4] for the second consecutive game. The quarter-final draw brought with Partick Thistle all the way to Victoria Park which saw Ross County edging out a 5–3 win on penalties after a 1–1 draw after extra time [5] to progress to the semi-finals. The opposition provided in the semi-final draw was Forfar Athletic and another home game which saw the Dingwall outfit triumph with a 5–2 victory [6] to proceed to the Scottish Challenge Cup final for the first time in the club's history.

Pre-match

Analysis

Falkirk had played two games at their shared home of Ochilview Park and two away in the games preceding the final with Ross County playing a total of three games at Victoria Park and one away from home. In the process Falkirk amassed a total of thirteen goals scored and a mere four goals conceded whilst keeping two clean sheets. Ross County scored ten goals before the final and conceded a total of five, managing to keep no clean sheets. Falkirk progressed winners through all four games in 90 minutes of play, whereas it took penalties before Ross County emerged as winners over Partick Thistle in the quarter-final. This was Falkirk's third time competing in the Scottish Challenge Cup final, whilst holding a 100% record after winning both the 1993 and 1997 finals. Ross County were appearing in the final for the first time in the club's history.

Match

Falkirk 2–1 Ross County
Scally Soccerball shade.svg70'
Duffy Soccerball shade.svg75'
Report Winters Soccerball shade.svg56'
McDiarmid Park, Perth
Attendance: 7,471 [7]
Referee: Kenny Clark (Paisley) [2]
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Kit body red piping vneck.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm redborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Falkirk
Kit left arm whiteshoulders.png
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Ross County

Teams

Falkirk:
GK1 Flag of Scotland.svg Allan Ferguson
RB2 Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Lawrie
LB3 Flag of Scotland.svg Craig McPherson
CM4 Flag of Scotland.svg Scott MacKenzie
CB5 Flag of Scotland.svg Mark Campbell Yellow card.svg
CB6 Flag of Scotland.svg Kevin James (c)
RM7 Flag of Scotland.svg John O'Neil Sub off.svg 25'
LM8 Flag of Scotland.svg David Nicholls Sub off.svg 50'
CF9 Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Thomson Sub off.svg 72'
CM10 Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Russell Latapy
CF11 Flag of Scotland.svg Darryl Duffy
Substitutes:
FW12 Flag of Portugal.svg Pedro Moutinho Sub on.svg 50'
MF14 Flag of Scotland.svg Neil Scally Sub on.svg 25'
FW15 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Daniel McBreen Sub on.svg 72'
MF16 Flag of Scotland.svg Kieran McAnespie
GK17 Flag of Scotland.svg Darren Hill
Manager:
Flag of Scotland.svg John Hughes
Ross County:
GK1 Flag of Scotland.svg Stuart Garden
RB2 Flag of Scotland.svg John Robertson
LB3 Flag of Scotland.svg Mark McCulloch
CM4 Flag of Scotland.svg Jamie McCunnie
CB5 Flag of Scotland.svg Martin Canning
CB6 Flag of Scotland.svg Jim Lauchlan (c)
CM7 Flag of Scotland.svg Don Cowie
LM8 Flag of Scotland.svg Charlie Adam Sub off.svg 60'
CF9 Flag of Scotland.svg Sean Higgins Sub off.svg 66'
RM10 Flag of Scotland.svg John Rankin
CF11 Flag of Scotland.svg David Winters Sub off.svg 80'
Substitutes:
DF12 Flag of Scotland.svg Stuart Malcolm Sub on.svg 80'
MF14 Flag of Scotland.svg Sean Kilgannon Sub on.svg 60'
FW15 Flag of Scotland.svg Steven McGarry Sub on.svg 66'
FW16 Flag of Scotland.svg Gary McSwegan
GK17 Flag of Scotland.svg Colin Stewart
Manager:
Flag of Scotland.svg Alex Smith

MATCH RULES

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

References

  1. "Scottish League Challenge Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  2. 1 2 Falkirk 2-1 Ross County, BBC Sport. 2004-11-07. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  3. 1 2 Scottish League Challenge Cup round 1 Results – 2004/05 Archived 26 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine , ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
  4. 1 2 Scottish League Challenge Cup round 2 Results – 2004/05 Archived 26 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine , ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
  5. 1 2 Scottish League Challenge Cup round 3 Results – 2004/05, ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
  6. 1 2 Scottish League Challenge Cup Semi-finals Results – 2004/05, ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
  7. Scottish League Challenge Cup Final Results – 2004/05, ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 2011-06-13.