Former Hearts and Hibs stars relegated from Scottish Championship as 'classless' brawl breaks out
The Staggies fate was sealed at Stark’s Park after a forgettable campaign
There were ugly scenes at the end of Ross County’s 3-2 defeat away to Raith Rovers in a result that confirmed the Dingwall side’s relegation from the Scottish Championship.
The Staggies have former Hearts men John Robertson and Stephen Frail in their coaching ranks as well as Connor Randall and Uche Ikpeazu in their playing squad, along with ex Hibees James Scott, Ross Laidlaw and Sean Mackie under contract. They went to Stark’s Park with an outside chance of survival. However, they were reliant on other results going their way as eighth placed Morton and ninth placed Airdrieonians faced off at Cappielow. The Ton started the day three points ahead of County with a superior goal difference, while Airdrie sat just a point ahead.
As a late Raith penalty decided their fate, unsavoury scenes which County boss Stuart Kettlewell described as ‘classless’ broke out from both sides. The visitors felt that Raith were goading their misfortunes, as what started out as handbags threatened to spill-over, however there were enough peacemakers to diffuse the situation. County have now suffered back-to-back relegations as they now prepare for football in the third tier next season.
Mass-brawl breaks out as County’s relegation fate sealed
The Dingwall side got off to the best possible start in Kirkcaldy as striker Kieran Phillips put them a goal up in the 16th minute however this was overturned in the second half by Raith’s Innes Cameron and Jack Hamilton. Substitute Jayden Carbon equalised in the dying minutes for the visitors but as the full time whistle blew at Cappielow where Morton and Airdrie played out a 1-1 draw, the writing was already on the wall. A late penalty converted by Josh Mullin for Rovers rubbed more salt in the wounds.
After the match, some unsavoury scenes broke out on the pitch between both sets of players as the visitors felt Raith were mocking their demise. A reaction was sparked from some of the County players, namely defender Akil Wright, who was sent off for his part in the post-final whistle melee. Just as things had died down, the Ibiza-classic song ‘Get Down’ by Paul Johnson played over the speakers at Stark’s Park while the County players were clapping their fans.
Kettlewell on ‘classless’ post-match scenes
Manager Kettlewell subsequently described the scenes as ‘classless’ from both sides. He told BBC Sport: “You can see the anger and frustrations from our supporters and you can see the opposition enjoy it with the bits that seems to have seeped into football afterwards. But I’ve said that to the player there - we start fighting and showing emotion at the end of the game there but we’ve had 36 games to do that and it’s not been good enough throughout the course of the season.
“So, I don’t know, sometimes that wee bit that comes from Raith Rovers or that wee bit that comes from ourselves (the brawl). I think from both sides it’s classless, because I think you’ve got an opportunity before it ever gets to that stage. That’s just my feeling on it. It seems to have seeped into football now, we want to rub people’s noses in it. But I’ve said to our players and staff that we are responsible for that. Nobody else.”
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