Deflated Don Cowie admitted Ross County’s shock Premier Sports Cup exit away to fourth-tier Spartans was “a massive blow”.
The Premiership side arrived at Ainslie Park buoyed by a six-game unbeaten run at the start of the season and with high hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals of a tournament they won in 2016.
But they were humbled by League Two Spartans as Blair Henderson’s brilliant header 20 seconds into the second half proved enough to earn the Edinburgh part-timers a 1-0 victory in their last-16 tie.
“It’s a massive blow,” said the Staggies boss. “I said prior to the competition starting that we wanted to go far in it.
“We worked so hard in the group stage to top our group and give ourselves a great opportunity.
“We’re a Premiership team coming to a League Two team and we should be dealing with that and we’ve not. We’ve come up well short.”
Cowie conceded Spartans were well worthy of their victory.
“Full credit to Spartans,” he said. “They thoroughly deserve to be through to the next round of the cup.
“We had a lot of the ball, dominated possession but didn’t do enough with it. It’s all about them today.”
Long-serving Spartans boss Dougie Samuel savoured one of the greatest days in his club’s history.
“How does this result rank for Spartans under my watch? I think you’d have to put it at the very top,” he said.
“It’s not the most important or the most significant as that will always be the play-offs against Brechin and Albion Rovers (when Spartans won promotion to League Two last year) but this is another one we can put in the scrapbook.
“We will reminisce and have good memories about what happened today.”
Spartans will go into Sunday’s quarter-final draw knowing they are just one victory from a Hampden semi-final.
“I’d like the players to have an away tie and a big stadium against a big club but being selfish, I’d like it here in front of 3,500 and the whole community gets the chance to enjoy another special day,” said Samuel.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
