Ross County 7
East Fife 0
League Cup (Group Stage)


Ross County
7 - 0
East Fife 

League Cup (Group Stage)
Saturday, July 23rd, 2022
Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall. Att. 726
3:00 PM Kick-off

Goalscorers
Victor Loturi (26)
Ben Purrington (37)
Jordy Hiwula (46)
Owura Edwards (48)
Owura Edwards (53)
Kazeem Olaigbe (59)
Kazeem Olaigbe (66)
None.

Team Managers
Malky Mackay
Stevie Crawford

Starting Eleven
1. Ross Laidlaw
6. Alex Iacovitti
3. Ben Purrington
2. Connor Randall
5. Jack Baldwin
7. Owura Edwards
11. Josh Sims
8. Ross Callachan
10. Yan Dhanda
14. Victor Loturi
19. Jordy Hiwula
1 Jude Smith
2 Stewart Murdoch
3 Scott Mercer
5 Aaron Steele
15 Samuel Denham
4 Kieran Millar
7 Ryan Schiavone
12 Liam Newton
14 Brogan Walls
18 Lucas Williamson
9 Scott Shepherd

Bench
31. Jake Eastwood
12. Callum Johnson
16. George Harmon
15. Keith Watson
24. Ben Paton
22. Jordan Tillson
17. Kazeem Olaigbe
26. Jordan White
18. William Akio
6 Keir Allan
8 Patrick Slattery
10 Sam martin
11 Jack Healy
16 Michael Cunningham
17 Lewis Anderson
19 Mackenzie Williamson
20 Ciaran Healy
21 Allan Fleming

Substitutions
William Akio for Josh Sims (30)
George Harmon for Alex Iacovitti (45)
Kazeem Olaigbe for Owura Edwards (56)
Callum Johnson for Jack Baldwin (56)
Ben Paton for Yan Dhanda (67)
Patrick Slattery for Ryan Schiavone (75)
Michael Cunningham for Scott Shepherd (81)

Cautions
Yan Dhanda (62)
Stewart Murdoch (33)

Red Cards
None. None.
Match Officials

Mike Roncone (Referee)




Match Report


Source unknown.

Ross County secured top spot in Group C of the Premier Sports Cup this afternoon with the sensational 7-0 demolition over East Fife in Dingwall.

Goals from Victor Loturi, Ben Purrington, Jordy Hiwula, Owura Edwards and Kazeem Olaigbe secured three points and a place in the last 16.

Loturi opened the scoring with a sensational hit on the edge of the box, leaving goalkeeper Jude Smith with no chance, before Purrington doubled the advantage just over ten minutes later with a low finish from a Yan Dhanda cross. The second half saw five goals in less than 20 minutes with a brace for both Owura and Olaigbe as well as Hiwula finish.

Manager Malky Mackay made seven changes to the starting XI from our midweek win at Alloa Athletic, with Ross Laidlaw, Connor Randall, Ross Callachan, Yan Dhanda, Victor Loturi and Jordy Hiwula coming in to face the Fifers.

Meanwhile new signing William Akio was involved for the first time, taking a place among the substitutes whilst his brother, Loturi, made his first competitive start for the Staggies.

The game began as it meant to go on with County in control, with the visitors camped in their own half for the majority of the first period. Despite this, it would be East Fife who troubled goal first as Scott Shepherd's cross had to be cut out inches away from the line by Purrington.

Aside from that one chance, the Staggies remained in control with efforts from Dhanda, Ross Callachan and Jordy Hiwula blocked before the first half double. Loturi's long range effort was unstoppable and in truth had been coming, whilst Purrington got forward constantly down the left hand side and deserved his goal.

Half-Time: County 2-0 East Fife

As the whistle blew for the second half, County ran riot. Within seconds Dhanda made his way into the visitors half before playing Akio down the right who in turn squared it for Hiwula to finish from close range. Two minutes later, almost the same again as Akio this time played in Owura for his first.

There was nothing simple about County's fifth though. Owura picked the ball up on the left and stepped inside before smashing an effort top right corner for an early goal of the season contender. In ten or so minutes of magic, it was wrapped up by substitute Kazeem Olaigbe - who moments earlier replaced Owura - to put an end to some carnage in the box by finishing well.

Olaigbe had a brace on 64 minutes when threaded through down the left, bringing the ball into the box and smashing past a hapless Smith.

The frantic pace of the game began to die down as County saw out a comfortable win.

* Match report courtesy of Ross County Football Club *.



Squad Statistics (as at July 23rd, 2022)


2022/23 All Time
Age
Ross Laidlaw (GK)30 2 - 87 -
Ben Purrington26 4141
Alex Iacovitti24 4 - 798
Jack Baldwin29 2 - 322
Connor Randall26 4 - 53 -
Ross Callachan28 3 - 414
Josh Sims25 4151
Owura Edwards21 4242
Victor Loturi21 2121
Yan Dhanda23 4 - 4 -
Jordy Hiwula27 4343
George Harmon (sub)21 2 - 2 -
Callum Johnson (sub)25 2 - 2 -
Ben Paton (sub)22 3 - 13 -
Kazeem Olaigbe (sub)19 4242
William Akio (sub)24 1 - 1 -






League Table (as at July 23rd, 2022)


No league table has been added for this season.