Ayr United are fired up to finish off Hibs

Jan 14 2011 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

SPL? You're having a laugh.

They may be two leagues apart but try telling an Ayr fan there should be need for a Scottish Cup replay.

Hibs will pitch up at Somerset on Tuesday evening knowing they are in last chance saloon.

Colin Calderwood's rudderless crew were taking on water deep in stoppage time when Andy Rodgers went close to a glory winner.

It took a wonder save from keeper Mark Brown to tip his curling effort round the post for a corner.

Shaken Calderwood admitted: "It was a terrific save from Brown but we're also thankful for a good piece of defending at the edge of the box which made the shot difficult.

"Now we've got to go to Ayr and find a way to win the game. After our strong start didn't give us the lead, Ayr came into it.

"They were well organised and developed as the game went on while we were under par."

The Rodgers last gasp chance was a heart stopping moment played out in front of 1400 Ayr fans who were packed in the stand behind the goal.

They out sang the meagre 4600 home supporters who bothered to turn up. Off the park, there was only one winner.

Ayr were heroes all without a single failure and keeper David Crawford comfortably dealt with his few moments of concern.

He was beaten only once when a Derek Riordan shot smacked off the bar and then with a minute to go saved well from the same player.

But Hibs, for all their possession, failed to cut through a defence in which Jonathan Tiffoney, Martyn Campbell, Eddie Malone and Chris Smith were outstanding.

A five man midfield stifled the threat of Liam Miller who looked to pull the strings but often found himself crowded out when on the ball.

Ryan McCann, who has been in a losing Ayr team only once since signing in September, had his finest game in black and white despite a miss he'll long regret.

He seized on a wayward passback but lost his bearings and failed with only Brown to beat.

McCann, the middle of the park boss man, smashed Ayr's first chance wide after only six minutes following a cross from Smith.

Ayr soaked up the green and white raids and should have snatched the lead in 28 minutes. Mark Roberts, playing up front on his own, squared the ball to Scott McLaughlin who sidefooted a great chance wide.

The nippy Riordan blazed over when Ayr gave the ball away as they tried to play a quick free-kick. Then just before the break, Crawford was off his line quickly to save from the former Celtic striker.

The keeper blocked from Miller's point blank effort after an hour but it was Ayr who again bared their teeth when Roberts was brought down on the 18 yard line, centimetres from winning a penalty.

McLaughlin stepped up and curled a left foot dipper just over the top. Seconds later, there was great skill by Tiffoney who drove to the byeline and drilled the ball across goal only for Steven Thicot to hook it away for a corner.

Hibs came closest to a goal in 75 minutes when Riordan rattled the bar after being set up by Miller. Then a Riordan free-kick was fumbled round the post by Crawford.

Desperate Hibs pitched on three subs but this was Ayr's day and Rodgers almost won it at the death. Great work 18 yards out saw him bring down a ball from the sky and despite being surrounded by three defenders, curled in a shot which Brown at full stretch tipped away for a corner.

Roll on the replay. Ayr have some unfinished business.

STAR MEN: ***Eddie Malone; **Ryan McCann; *Jonathan Tiffoney.

HIBS - Brown; Thicot, Grounds, Dickoh, Hanlon, Murray (McBride 46), Zemmama (Wotherspoon 74), Miller, Duffy (Trakys 74), Riordan, Galbraith. Unused subs: Smith, Stevenson. Booked: McBride.

AYR - Crawford; Tiffoney, Malone, Campbell, Smith; Trouten, McCann (Robertson 84), McLaughlin, Bannigan, Easton (Woodburn 75); Roberts (Rodgers 82). Unused subs: McWilliams, Kelly.

Referee - Bobby Madden; Crowd - 6056.