Terry Butcher admits Ayr had been wronged by penatly

Mar 5 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

HONEST Terry Butcher admitted Ayr had been wronged by the injury time penalty that robbed them of victory.

Livid Brian Reid blasted the hotly contested spot-kick as an 'embarrassment' and raged: "I've never felt so angry as a player or a manager with a decision."

Ayr thought they had bagged their second away win in a week when Martyn Campbell was harshly adjudged to have fouled Grant Munro and Adam Rooney blasted home the 94th minute sickener.

A stunned Reid, who had to be held back by Butcher, hit out: "I feel we've been cheated out of three points. I'll be sending a video to Hugh Dallas to pinpoint the mistakes the referee made.

"It's an embarrassing decision. The referee is the only guy in the park who thinks it's a penalty - even the Inverness players didn't. The worst thing is he is only five yards away from it.

"Martyn went up to head the ball clear with his arm at his side as a centre-half does. In no way did he swing his arm or push the player away. Coming four minutes into injury time makes it even worse.

“I don’t even know where the added time came from. The ref said it was for time wasting by our keeper so why wasn’t he spoken to?"

Reid found an unlikely ally in Butcher who admitted he felt for Ayr.

The former England skipper confessed: “In the end, we were just grateful to get the penalty but I didn’t think it was a penalty.

“I can understand why Ayr are upset, they’ve defended resolutely and are a much different side from the beginning of the season.”

Reid had been cheered by Ayr's rousing start as they took a 2-0 lead only to concede right on the interval. Caley equalised after an hour but when United regained the advantage, they looked home and dry.

But then came the dagger at the death which could prove crucial when the final points are totted up at the end of the season.

Reid said: "I was delighted at the start. We then soaked up their pressure but then it was poor to lose a goal a minute before half-time.

"To score three well worked goals and lose two - I won't count the third - is disappointing. We deserved the win and now have a group of players who have the bit between their teeth and don't want to be involved in arelegation fight.

"We have got to take that belief into our home games and get the wins that will see us to safety."

Andy Aitken nudged Ayr ahead from close range in 24 minutes after a Tam McManus shot from a Dean Keenan free-kick was scrambled off the post.

Five minutes later, Ayr doubled the lead to the delight of their small band of travelling fans who braved winter's blast for the long trip into the Highlands. A sweeping move involving Steve Bowey and McManus ended with Mark Roberts rounding keeper Ryan Esson to score.

Ayr were only seconds from reaching the break with their two goal lead intact when Richie Foran got one back from a Ross Tokely cross.

It looked ominous after an hour when Johnny Hayes equalised to spark waves of Caley pressure. The woodwork was rattled and Aitken heroically cleared off the line.

But Ayr went back in front after 71 minutes when McManus combinedsuperbly with Roberts to slam home a third.

The Highlanders swarmed forward with United content to hit on the break. It looked every inch job done until the 94th minute drama that turned everything on its head.

STAR MEN: ***Andy Aitken; **Steve Bowey; *Martyn Campbell.

INVERNESS - Esson; Tokely, Munro, Golabek, Bulvitis (Cox 82), Proctor, Hayes, Duncan, Foran, Rooney, Sanchez (Odhiambo 71). Unused subs: Allison, McBain, Eagle.

AYR - Grindlay; Keenan, Aitken, Campbell, Easton (K. Connolly 46); Mitchell, McGowan, Bowey, Mendes (Woodburn 46); Roberts (McKay 80), McManus. Unused subs: Samson, Borris.

Referee:- Scott MacDonald; Crowd:- 2843.