Match report: Ross County 0 Dundee United 0 (3-4 on penalties)
Dundee United kept alive their hopes of retaining the Scottish Cup in the Highlands — but only just.
Salvation between the sticks — Steve Banks.
- By Eric Nicolson
- Published in the Courier : 19.01.11
- Published online : 19.01.11 @ 06.38am
The holders can count themselves extremely fortunate to have a fifth-round clash with Hamilton to look forward to after only dispatching County out of the competition on penalties.
The first division team — who have now played United five times in two seasons and not won — had the best chances in this replay but were denied by a heroic performance from stand-in keeper Stevie Banks.
The 38-year-old twice tipped the ball on to the woodwork in the second half of normal time and then produced the winning save in the shoot-out from Scott Morrison.
His manager Peter Houston said, "I can't praise Stevie highly enough. He was a credit to himself tonight and kept us in it at times, as well as saving two penalties. Credit to Ross County — they had the better chances. I've got to admit that there were times when I thought it was going to be their night.
"But, no matter how poorly we played, I'm delighted we're through to the next round. Going out would have been hard to take."
Opposite number Willie McStay stated, "We outplayed an SPL side for long spells of 210 minutes of football and I'm gutted for the players."
The main talking point of the team lines was the inclusion of David Goodwillie for United despite the Scotland international being charged with rape on Monday.
Banks inclusion
Due to a thigh injury the Tannadice club had to do without Dusan Pernis for the first time since the Slovakian internationalist goalkeeper joined them a year ago. Apart from veteran player-coach Banks replacing Pernis, the starting line-up was unchanged from their last match against Motherwell.
The home side were the first to threaten in three minutes when full-back Morrison drove forward and fired a cross in from the left which Andy Barrowman just failed to get on the end of, and the ball flashed past the far post.
Five minutes later Sean Dillon came off second best in a challenge with Mark Corcoran on the right-hand side of the United box, and he drilled a cross over which Barrowman again came within a fraction of connecting with.
After a quiet opening to the match, Goodwillie came to life on 13 minutes when he turned his marker Scott Boyd in the box and forced a good save out of Michael McGovern with a low right-foot shot.
On 27 minutes United suffered a blow when Paul Dixon had to hobble off after sustaining an injury in a 50-50 tackle with Martin Scott. He was replaced by Barry Douglas.
County had to make a change of their own soon after when Jason Marr caught a Goodwillie boot in the face as the United frontman attempted a spectacular overhead kick in the six-yard box. Gary Miller was sent on in Marr's place.
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