REPORT/OPINION: ROSS COUNTY (A) 24/11/18

Another defeat, partly due to the idiocy of one of our most experienced players. The sending off, after Kallum Higginbotham elbowed Stelios Demetriou off the ball in the 15th minute, came with Dunfermline already a goal behind. Ross County had taken a 9th minute lead, when an unmarked Billy McKay scored his 12th goal of the season. This team do not help themselves at times: the double blow obviously impacting the remainder of the game and although technically remaining 'in the game', a loss is a loss. 
The manager had 2 weeks to formulate his plans for today's game and he selected a side that lined up 4-5-1, with Higginbotham and Robbie Muirhead on the wings, and Faissal up front alone. The subs bench was not even filled, with numerous injuries depleting the squad, but that cannot be used as an excuse - Ross County also had injuries and were without several first team regulars. 
Muirhead, Faissal and James Vincent came into the team, with Andy Ryan and Aidan Connolly (both presumably injured) not even amongst the subs, and Myles Hippolyte dropping to the bench. 
After the early drama, the remainder of the first half was fairly even,  with the 10-man Pars side at least showing effort and some element of resolve. As always, lack of a cutting edge when half chances presented themselves was an issue but at least the team did not crumble, as many might have feared. 
The second half began with Ross Stewart put through on goal but denied by Lee Robinson. Dunfermline then created two chances - a Joe Thomson shot saved by Scott Fox, and a Muirhead header that missed the target. 
The home side doubled their lead in the 61st minute through Jamie Lindsay. It was at this point that the manager may have made changes, to freshen up a side that had given much effort but could have benefited by at least one sub replacing a tiring midfield. A Pars goal was to come before any changes were made, when Ross Draper turned the ball into his own net after Fox had pushed out a cross from Faissal, in the 73rd minute. 
At that point, Aidan Keena replaced Malaury Martin. The final 2 Pars substitutions were made in the 86th and 89th minutes, which says it all. It may have made no difference to bring on players earlier but under the circumstances it may have been advisable. 
The game ended with a 7th defeat in 14 League games. Is it enough just to avoid a hammering? I'll leave that for you to decide. 

Thanks to my friends in Aviemore for the hospitality this weekend. Apologies for lack of photos - my son Ben is in Blackpool (booked when this was supposed to be a free weekend, before a fixture change), so no photos or matchday video diary for this game.