Ayr United’s Mark Roberts can’t believe wonder save

Sep 10 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

SHATTERED Mark Roberts admitted he couldn't believe the wonder save that robbed Ayr of extra-time.

And he reckons it's another nail in his bid to reach a cup final before he hangs up his boots.

The skipper, a former Firhill favourite, looked to have done everything right when he connected with a Stephen Reynolds cross three minutes from the end.

But Bryn Halliwell flung himself low to his right to fingertip the ball round the post for a corner.

Roberts groaned: "What a save that was. He just clawed it away but even then it looked as though it would come back off the post and back to Andy Rodgers.

"We're out the cup and I'm 34. I'm not going to have that many more times of reaching a final even although it was only the Challenge Cup. I'm really disappointed with that - but hopefully we can go on a good run in the Scottish."

Two identically headed goals from former Auchinleck Talbot striker Kris Doolan looked to have Thistle cruising after 33 minutes. But Rodgers quickly got one back to set up a storming second-half which Ayr dominated.

Roberts added: "We were terrible early on and didn't start. We gave away two bad goals but I'm glad we scored when we did because the game was starting to go away from us.

"It was a great move and a great goal, the first time we had passed the ball with any purpose.

"That gave us momentum and we were definitely banging on the door for half an hour but just needed that wee bit of luck."

Ayr were snoozing when Thistle raced ahead in three minutes, Doolan rising at the back post to head home a cross from Paul Paton.

And things got worse after 33 minutes when Liam Buchanan left Chris Smith for dead to cross for Doolan to score with a carbon copy second.

Ayr were staring down the barrel but three minutes later they hauled themselves back with a super goal. Jonathan Tiffoney and Roberts linked to find Scott McLaughlin who whipped in a left footed cross.

The ever dangerous Rodgers climbed at the back post to nod the ball home via the underside of the bar.

Ayr looked a transformed side as they took the game to the shaky Jags in the second-half. But they had a let-off when Martyn Campbell appeared to wrestle Buchanan to the floor.

The formation changed to 3-4-3 as Danny McKay and Reynolds replaced Tiffoney and Dean Keenan. And the new look powered forward in a wave of attacks with Thistle always dangerous on the break.

With three minutes to go, the Ayr fans behind the goal rose to acclaim Roberts and then sank to their knees as Halliwell somehow scrambled away his point blank shot.

Rodgers had an overhead kick blocked by Jackie McNamara before David Crawford deniedSimon Donnelly with a great save as Jags hit on the counter.

Former Kilbirnie winger Chris Erskine then sent in a wicked effort which screamed for a final touch before Scott McLaughlin was just too high with a stoppage time piledriver.

Boss Brian Reid claimed: "The two goals we lost were shocking but then we battered them for long spells. We can't turn the light switch on and off when we want to play.

"When we play at our best we are capable of giving teams a good game. When we are at our worst, which we were for spells, it makes it easy for them. We have to be consistent for 90 minutes rather than stop start."

Jags boss Ian McCall admitted: "Ayr have good forwards in Rodgers and Roberts who we know all about. Mark's movement is as good as anyone in the division and it was a valuable save from Bryn to win it.

“It was a stonewall penalty when Liam was brought down but some you get, some you don’t.”

STAR MEN: ***Mark Roberts; **Andy Rodgers; *Scott Taggart.

PARTICK - Halliwell; Paton, Boyle, McNamara, Robertson (Erskine 46), Balatoni, Hodge, Rowson, Buchanan (Donnelly 75), Doolan, Bannigan (Flannigan 70). Unused subs: Hinchliffe, Grehan; Booked: Paton.

AYR - Crawford; Tiffoney (McKay 68), Taggart, Campbell, Smith; Trouten, Keenan (Reynolds 68), McLaughlin, Easton; Rodgers, Roberts. Unused subs: McKeown, Robertson, McWilliams; Booked: Trouten Easton.

Referee - Stevie O'Reilly; Crowd - 1831.