ROSS COUNTY'S 356-mile round trip proved in vain last night. Ref Eddie Smith was forced to pull the plug on their game against Queen of the South after 65 minutes when the Palmerston floodlights failed.
Play was halted with the score at 1-1 and, despite attempts to fix the fault, the match was abandoned after a 15-minute delay.
That means the Dingwall men will have to make the long trip to Dumfries and back all over again.
County, with new signing Stevie Milne from St Johnstone up front, were first to threaten but Gary Wood was hustled into shooting past.
However, the opener came at the other end in seven minutes when Alan Johnston was brought down as he attempted to round keeper Michael McGovern.
Willie McLaren saw his kick saved by the keeper but was first to reach the rebound and slammed it home.
County retaliated with Mark Corcoran sending in a cross which beat the home defence and found Stuart Kettlewell who headed just wide. Then a neat run down the wing by Wood forced a corner and led to the visitors' breakthrough.
Richard Brit tain's kick floated over the home defenders for the advancing Marc Fitzpatrick to head home.
Ryan McGuffie then had the ball in the County net minutes later but was ruled of fside. Queens created another opening when Paul Burns swung in a cross from the left but Derek Holmes headed wide.
At the other end Milne set up Fitzpatrick on the edge of the box but he allowed the ball to run away from him with the home defenders caught on the hop.
Milne was proving a real handful for the Dumfries men and forced a corner which Corcoran swung across the face of the goal but there were no takers.
County were almost caught out just after the break when Holmes out jumped the defenders to reach a corner from McLaren but McGovern produced a fine diving save.
At the other end, Wood brought out a great stop from David Hutton with a rasping shot which the keeper held.
That proved to be the last effort of the night as the floodlight failure brought the game to an early halt.
Queens Mad Man of the Match for 65 mins - Stephen McKenna
image courtesy of www.qosfc.com