Brian Reid's half-time pep talk made its Mark

May 29 2009

Ayr 2 Airdrie 2

MARK ROBERTS admitted a half-time tongue lashing fired up Ayr for a storming second-half comeback that had Somerset rocking in the first leg.

The former Airdrie man downed his old team with a super double but the chance for victory was lost when Chris Aitken had his first penalty miss in 28 attempts.

Roberts revealed: "They are two of the most important goals of my career. In the first-half, we were very poor and got a rollicking in the dressing room at half-time.

"I can't say on TV what was said but the manager had a go at us because we knew the tie was dead if we didn't come and play in the second-half. I thought we deserved to win but there is very little between the teams."

Boss Brian Reid admitted after last Wednesday’s game: "We were poor in the first-half but we had words at half-time and the boys showed character. We should have won but Chris missed his first penalty in about ten years although you have to credit the keeper."

Ayr's defence was found wanting when they fell behind in 30 minutes. Scott McLaughlin's corner was flicked on by Bobby Donnelly and rammed home by Paul Di Giacomo.

Stephen Grindlay made a great save from McLaughlin but two minutes from the interval failed to gather the same player's free-kick and John Baird's touch flew in off Scott Walker.

Roberts sparked the fightback in 48 minutes, receiving Aitken's quick pass and turning Paul Lovering to fire home.

The old ground was jumping in 67 minutes when Willie Easton drove Dean Keenan's free-kick across goal and Roberts sidefooted the ball in at the back post.

There should have a winner six minutes later when Martyn Campbell was tumbled going for an Aitken corner. The skipper, a normal dead eye from the spot, hit the kick low and hard to the corner but Stephen Robertson dived to his right to save.

STAR MEN: ***Mark Roberts; **Dean Keenan; *Willie Easton.

AYR – Grindlay; Dempsie, Walker, Campbell, McGowan; Connolly, Keenan, Aitken, Easton; Prunty (Gormley 65), Roberts. Unused subs: Mitchell, Henderson, Woodburn, Borris; Booked: McGowan, Walker, Keenan; Sent off McGowan.

AIRDRIE – Robertson; McLachlan, Donnelly, Smyth, Lovering; Smith, McDonald (McDougall 87), McKenna, McLaughlin; Di Giacomo (Lynch 83), Baird. Unused subs: Hollis, Nixon, Brown. Booked: Lovering, Donnelly.

Referee - Eddie Smith; Crowd - 3378.