Ross County and Hibernian lack cutting edge in goalless draw

Posted Thursday, October 31, 2024 by PA

Ross County and Hibernian were both left to rue a lack of creativity as they played out a goalless draw in Dingwall.

Neither side posed a real threat up front as they shared the points, moving Hibs a point above their Edinburgh rivals Hearts at the foot of the table.

Ross County made one change to the team that defeated Kilmarnock as Eli Campbell came in for Josh Reid.

Hibernian made two changes to the team that drew 1-1 with Hearts as captain Joe Newell and Mykola Kuharevich replaced Kwon Hyeok-Kyu and Dwight Gayle.

The majority of the first quarter passed with almost no incident. But County’s Ronan Hale did pounce on a poor goal kick from Josef Bursik and was allowed to charge towards the box before firing inches wide of the top right corner.

Hibernian did threaten just before the half hour mark when Junior Hoilett beat the offside trap to run on to a pass from Lewis Miller.

Hoilett charged into the box but lacked composure as he blasted his shot from 12 yards out into the side netting.

The visitors went close again nine minutes from half time when the ball fell to Jordan Obita at the edge of the box.

He fired a thunderous low drive which goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw had to do well to save and keep the game goalless.

Ross County had the best chance of the first half two minutes before the break when they won a free-kick on the right wing.

Noah Chilvers’ delivery into the box found the head of Jordan White, who beat the Hibs defence in the air but Bursik produced a fantastic save to parry the ball away from danger.

Hibernian started the second half brighter and had a couple of chances to take the lead early on. Elie Youan should have done better when unchallenged but blasted a shot from the edge of the box off target.

Youan then set up Kuharevich from 12 yards after he beat his marker but he too fired over the bar.

Frustrated with his team’s lack of threat up front, Staggies manager Don Cowie made a triple substitution as he took off Aidan Denholm, Hale and Jordan White and replaced them with Eamonn Brophy, Josh Nisbet and Alex Samuel.

Ross County’s first chance on goal in the second half came with 20 minutes remaining from a free kick when Nectarios Triantis fouled Chilvers at the edge of the box.

Chilvers however spurned the opportunity when he fired over the bar.

County started to get livelier as the game was drawing to a close as Scott Allardice zipped down the right wing and fired in a cross that found Brophy who fired wide of the left post.