Easton feasting on his glory goal saver for Ayr

Mar 26 2008 Ayrshire Post

GOAL shy Willie Easton took a ribbing from his mates after his injury time saver broke his scoring famine.

The 21-year-old had scored only once before, while on loan at Stirling from Dundee United, but he ended his long wait in dramatic fashion.

Two minutes into stoppage time, he raked home an unstoppable shot from 12 yards to spare Ayr's blushes and rescue a precious point.

Easton smiled: "A few of the boys were slagging me and asking me how I caught that one. It's a long time since I've scored but I don't get many chances.

"I thought it was going to be one of those days but luckily the ball fell to me and it went in. It's always good to get a goal and I certainly enjoyed it."

Easton admits he is baffled at Ayr's up and down form which has seen them win their last four away games but struggle badly at Somerset where they have lost eight times.

He said: "We have spoken about it a few times but we can't put our finger on it. Away from home, we have been pressing well but when teams come here they seem to do that to us and we can't get a grip on the game.

"We've got to get it sorted because a club like Ayr should be higher up the league. I have been in and out of the team so I'll need to show consistency to get a regular place."

Boss Brian Reid admitted the lethargic performance was adding years to him. He quipped: "Wait to you see me next year. I'll be like Dickie Davies with a big grey streak down the middle.

"It was a scrappy game so given the circumstances I am delighted to scrape a point but give credit to Cowdenbeath who battled hard with ten men."

Ryan Stevenson was Ayr's chief goal threat in a drab first-half, raking a 25 yard free-kick straight at keeper David Hay and then having a hook shot deflected wide.

Jerome Vareille had a point blank effort diverted past as Ayr cranked up the heat before the break.

However, it was Cowden who struck in 47 minutes when former Cumnock striker John Dempster prodded home a cross from Jon Robertson.

The visitors had to play the last 20 minutes a man light after Jay Shields, who had been booked earlier, was dismissed for a lunge on Dean Keenan.

Ayr kept pressing but found Cowden's defence hard to crack until the clock ticked into the 92nd minute.

Then up stepped Easton, who had come off the bench for Vareille after an hour, and he slammed a glorious point saver high into the net.

Shattered Cowden boss Brian Welsh admitted: "It's another kick in the teeth for us.”

STAR MEN: ***Murray Henderson; **Dean Keenan; *Paul McLeod.

AYR - McGeown; Forrest, Henderson, Campbell (Robertson 86), McGowan; Stevenson, Keenan, Weaver (Wardlaw 61), Vareille (Easton 61); McLeod, Williams. Unused subs: Stewart, Woodburn; Booked: Henderson, Easton.

COWDENBEATH - Hay; Baxter (Shanks 15), Adamson; Gilfillan, Hill, Shields; Ramsay, Robertson, Dempster (McLaughlin 74), Tomana (O'Neil 74), Gates. Unused subs: Morris, McQuade. Booked: Ramsay; Sent off: Shields.

Referee: Brian Winter; Crowd: 1010.