Ayr United striker Mark Roberts can’t believe howler miss

Oct 29 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

MARK ROBERTS shrugged off a shocker miss and admitted: "I still don't how I managed it."

But the red faced skipper atoned for his gaffe by firing Ayr ahead with a superbly taken effort only four minutes later.

Roberts looked nailed on to score when he collected a Scott McLaughlin cross at the back post but knocked the ball past from point blank range.

But the blunder was forgotten when he slid the ball into the bottom corner to finish off great work by Chris Smith and McLaughlin.

Alloa levelled with a Kevin McDonald penalty 16 minutes from time but McLaughlin fired a 25 yard winner with the help of a wicked deflection.

Roberts admitted: "When I scored, it was more relief than joy because of the miss. When I saw the ball coming, I was too busy thinking about running away celebrating because it was too easy.

"A million times out of a million I would score with a chance like that and I don't know how I didn't. It's weird.

"After the miss I told myself I had better hurry up and score and I gave myself ten minutes to do something. I don't know what happened. I saw the ball coming and was already thinking about my celebrations.

"Fortunately, I scored almost right away. It was a great wee move and I was happy to finish it off."

Boss Brian Reid reckoned Ayr should have put the game out of sight in the first-half.

He claimed: "It's probably the best we have passed the ball. We could have been three or four up but then the inevitable happened and we got hit by a sucker punch when we defended too deeply.

"Half-time probably came too soon for us. We're playing well in patches but have to do it for 90 minutes. However, we are winning again and that stands us in good stead."

Alloa perked up after the interval and ex-Ayr striker Bryan Prunty tested David Crawford with a flashing header.

They drew level in 74 minutes when Mick Dunlop raced into the box only to be chopped down by Eddie Malone's clumsy tackle for a stonewall penalty, the fifth Ayr have conceded in two games. McDonald confidently slammed home.

Ayr grabbed the winner nine minutes from time when McLaughlin's long range shot cannoned off John Grant and spun in over the head of keeper Stephen Robertson.

Wasps boss Allan Maitland claimed: "We were awful in the first-half. We gave Ayr far too much space and could have been two or three down.

"We were a different team in the second-half, passed the ball well and controlled the game.

"It was always possible that Ayr could get a break –- but I wasn't expecting that."

STAR MEN: ***Mark Roberts; **Martyn Campbell; *Ryan McCann.

AYR - Crawford; Tiffoney, Campbell, Malone, Smith; Trouten, McCann (Taggart 87), McLaughlin, Easton; Rodgers (McKay 67), Roberts. Unused subs: McWilliams, Reynolds, Woodburn.

ALLOA - Robertson; Brown, Dunlop, Gibson, Walker, Grant (Wilson 89), Scott, McDonald, Prunty, Gormley (Hay 40), Smith (McAvoy 84). Unused subs: Ewings, McClune.

Referee - Anthony Law; Crowd - 1176.