Ayr United rue miss chances as they crash to Forfar in Scottish Cup

Dec 7 2012 by Mike Wilson, Ayrshire Post

The cup dream is over - and it’s not yet Christmas.

And that’s a dagger blow to tight finances with previous money spinning runs now only a distant memory.

Boss Mark Roberts insisted Ayr should still be in the hat after they blew the chances to at least force a Somerset Park replay.

But wasteful finishing and slack defending meant there was only one outcome from the first ever cup meetings of the teams.

It was a tie Roberts didn’t want and his worst fears were realised as his wavering Honest Men came unstuck.

He claimed: “With the chances we had, we should definitely be in the next round.

“We had three one on ones and two chances cleared off the line. These are game changing moments.

“But we allow one of their players to run unchallenged and then he scores with a terrific shot.

“We also could have defended better for the second goal. All we can do now is concentrate on league business.”

Forfar went into the tie on the back of crushing 5-1 and 4-1 defeats. But they strengthened in midweek by signing loan teenagers Jack Hamilton (Hearts) and Willie Robertson (Dundee United).

And the duo played key roles to sentence Ayr to their second defeat on the trot.

Forfar should have been ahead inside three minutes when Martyn Fotheringham missed a great chance.

Then Ally Brown did well to block a deflected clearance from Austin McCann.

Gavin Swankie rattled the woodwork as Ayr lived dangerously before stunning the hosts in 16 minutes.

David Winters broke and his squared pass left David Sinclair with the simplest of tasks to roll home his ninth goal of the season.

Only a goal line clearance by Robbie Crawford denied Forfar the equaliser as they pressed hard before the break.

Sinclair and Winters both sent shots narrowly past while Michael Moffat was foiled by a diving save from Hamilton after flashing in a volley.

Forfar drew level with a goal out of the blue after 59 minutes. There seemed little on when Robertson got the ball 25 yards out but the debutant was allowed to stride forward and slam home a well hit shot which flew into the bottom corner.

Winters spurned a great chance to hit back two minutes later when he tried to dink the ball over Hamilton but the keeper pulled off a great save.

Hamilton was the heartbreaker again soon afterwards with another fine stop to deny Roberts.

Ross Robertson replaced gaffer Roberts but there was immediately a let-off when Stephen Tulloch hit the post.

The roof fell in after 74 minutes when Chris Templeman used his height to flick on a cross and sub Charlie King took the ball on his chest and fired home.