Chris Smith is hero again as Ayr United beat Hamilton

Nov 4 2011 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

GOAL a game Chris Smith did it again – and boss Brian Reid reckons he knows the secret.

Smith was carted off on a stretcher against Livingston after being knocked cold. But it didn't stop him scoring Ayr’s winner against St Mirren and doing the same against Hamilton.

Reid quipped: "Big Chris is making a habit of it. That bump on the head seems to be working for us – he's scoring goals for fun now."

Ayr could consider themselves unlucky to trail 2-0 at the break but they stormed the gates in the second-half with Smith supplying an injury time winner.

Reid admitted: "We don't like making it easy for ourselves. We gave away a soft penalty and a free header and I warned the players at half-time that I wasn't going to accept any more goals against us.

"I asked them to show character and fair play to them they responded. It's a big win for us and breaks our league duck away from home."

Ayr got the start they dreaded when Accies took the lead in 17 minutes. Smith was adjudged to have held back MattPaterson as he tried to control a Dougie Imrie pass. Paul Currie slammed home the spot kick.

Michael McGowan and Ross Robertson went close to an equaliser before Accies hit Ayr with a sucker punch right on the interval.

Gareth Wardlaw's flick from anEddie Malone free-kick was cleared to Jamie McAlister who sped down the right before crossing for Greg Spence to nod home.

Lesser teams could have folded but Ayr restarted with a flourish and Wardlaw immediately had penalty claims after a clash with keeper David Hutton.

The ice was broken in 51 minutes when Ali Crawford's stray pass broke to Michael Moffat who turned the defence before firing home from just inside the box.

Four minutes later, Ayr were level. McGowan was brought down for a free-kick which he took himself and John Robertson supplied the finish from 10 yards.

Stunned Accies pushed Ayr back as they tried to regain the lead but it was Ayr who almost counted when sub Mark Roberts fired over from a McGowan cross.

Most thought that was that but a minute into stoppage time, Ayr came up trumps. McGowan pinged in a corner and that man Smith was free to bullet home a winner header from six yards.

Disgusted Accies boss Bill Reid moaned: "Some of our players got stage fright and find it difficult playing at home where the crowd get edgy.

"They must learn from mistakes. It's not good enough."

HAMILTON: Hutton, McAlister, Gillespie, Canning, Mensing, McLaughlin (Anderson 58), Imrie, Currie, Paterson, Spence, Crawford. Unused subs: Thomson, Chambers, Lyle, McBride. Booked: Gillespie, Mensing.

AYR: Cuthbert; Tiffoney, J. Robertson, Smith, Malone; McGowan, Trouten (McKernon 75), Geggan, R. Robertson, Moffat; Wardlaw (Roberts 76). Unused subs: McWilliams, Burke, Connolly. Booked: Cuthbert.

Referee: David Somers; Crowd: 1699.