EXTRA JOY

Sep 19 2007 Ayrshire Post

TWO goal Alex Williams fired Ayr into the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup with the last kick of extra-time because he was desperate to avoid a penalty shoot-out.

Williams had already bagged a spot-kick equaliser in a pulsating tie at rain lashed Somerset Park on Tuesday evening. But then he stuck away a 120th minute winner just as penalties were looming.

The come from behind win gave Ayr their second First Division scalp of the season following their first round 2-1 victory over Hamilton. And it takes them into the last four against Morton, Dunfermline and either St Johnstone or Brechin.

Williams revealed: "Two seconds earlier, I was thinking I would need to change my strategy in a penalty shoot-out but then I got the winner to avoid all the hassle and the nerves around the stadium.

"There was a defender in front of me but I just curled it with the outside of my foot and shut my eyes. I didn't know what to do when I scored so I just ran."

Jubilant boss Neil Watt claimed high fitness levels were the key to Ayr's win. He said: "We are a part-time team against a First Division club yet our fitness was outstanding. We did it in style and over the 90 minutes were the better team although extra-time evened itself out.

"It's nice at the moment to be the sole representative of the Second and Third Division. I suppose Ayr were used to semis when there was lots of money about but when your budget is about one tenth of what it used to be, it's all the more pleasing.

"Now we face another full-time club in the league on Saturday when we travel to play Raith so we won't do too much at training on Thursday."

With Kilmarnock boss Jim Jefferies and chairman Michael Johnston looking on from the stand, the impressive Ryan Stevenson was again at the heart of much of Ayr's play. He had a long range shot well saved before the break and then rifled in a 35 yard free-kick which keeper John Tuffey was relieved to punch clear.

Disaster befell Ayr in 65 minutes when Thistle went ahead thanks to an Eddie Forrest OG. A corner from sub Stevie Murray was touched on by Liam Buchanan and Forrest, in attempting to clear, turned the ball into his own net.

Ayr looked down but with five minutes to go sub Paul Weaver played in Williams and when Stevenson steamed on to his pass, he was brought down by Marc Twaddle for a penalty which Williams fired home.

That sent the tie into extra-time which looked stalemate all the way until Williams pounced right at the death.

Tuffey only managed to hack clear a John Robertson passback under pressure from in rushing sub Gareth Wardlaw.

Dead eye Williams was on to it in a flash and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Bitter Jags boss Ian McCall claimed Ayr had tricked their way into the semis. He fired: "I've seen the video and it's absolutely conclusive that it wasn't a penalty. The referee was conned. It was outside the box and our player never touched him.

"Only one team tried to play football but I wouldn't slag Ayr. They are honest boys who I hope do really well and the manager is a gentleman. If it had been 3-0 or 4-0 it wouldn't have flattered us but we're out the cup because of glaring misses."

STAR MEN: ***Ryan Stevenson; **Alex Williams; *Murray Henderson.

AYR: Corr; Pettigrew (Weaver 84), Forrest, Henderson, Swift; Vareille (Wardlaw 76), Stevenson, Robertson, Dunn; Moore (Hamilton 100), Williams. Unused subs: McGeown, Casey; Booked: Pettigrew, Robertson, Wardlaw.

PARTICK: Tuffey; Robertson, Twaddle, Gibson, Harkins, Archibald, Strachan (Roberts 61), Rowson, Buchanan, Keegan (Murray 61), McKinley (Storey 84). Unused subs: Hinchcliffe, Chaplain; Booked: Archibald.

Referee: William Collum; Crowd: 1110.