Poor home form continues as Ayr United are held by Montrose

Nov 25 2011 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

BRIAN REID is pulling his hair out at Ayr's wretched home form continued.

Despite being twice behind, Third Division minnows Montrose battled back to force an unlikely replay.

And boss Reid was left baffled that United didn't have the know-how to kill them off.

He hit out: "I had drilled into the players not to take the tie lightly. At 2-1 ahead, we should have been good enough to see it out.

"It was a soft penalty which gave them their second goal as our man didn't raise his hands. But overall, Montrose could say they deserved it.

"For some strange reason, we have lost our good form and are now playing better away. We now look nervy and lethargic at home which has got to be sorted out."

Ayr looked on their way after only 10 minutes when John Robertson rose at the near post to head home a Michael McGowan corner.

McGowan then took a fresh air swipe in front of goal while Michael Moffat had a shot saved as Ayr kept up the pressure.

Montrose hadn't been seen in attack but they equalised with a goal out of the blue in 24 minutes when Terry Masson nodded in Paul Lunan's cross.

The visitors should have been ahead six minutes later. Martin Boyle was tripped by Jonathon Tiffoney as he darted into the box.

After Tiffoney was booked, Sean Pierce stepped up for the penalty but tried to be too clever and succeeded only in chipping the ball off the post.

Ayr tried in vain to restore their lead before the interval. Gareth Wardlaw headed wide and then Trouten curled an effort just wide of the keeper's right hand post.

Two penalties in a crazy two minute spell at the start of the second-half kept the tie on the boil.

In 54 minutes, a Trouten cross was handled by Dougie Cameron. Trouten sent Andrews the wrong way from the spot.

Montrose refused to lie down, however, and when Eddie Malone handled for the game's third penalty, Jamie Winter smashed home the equaliser.

The visitors could have won it in a hectic finale but Kevin Cuthbert pulled off a fine save to keep out a Masson drive.

Ayr, too, could have snatched it at the death but sub Mark Roberts was foiled by Andrews.

AYR: Cuthbert, Tiffoney, Malone, J. Robertson, Smith, R. Robertson (Connolly 59), Trouten (McKernon 82), Geggan, Moffat, Wardlaw (Roberts 59), McGowan. Subs: McWilliams, Burke. Booked: Tiffoney, Trouten.

MONTROSE: Andrews, McNally, Cameron, Smart, Crighton, Lunan, Masson, Winter, Boyle, Johnston, Pierce (McPhee 82). Subs: Wood, Crawford, Dimilha, McGowan. Booked: Cameron, McNally.

Referee: Matt Northcroft; Crowd: 988.