Scottish Cup: Ayr United 2 - 1 Falkirk: Ayr through for Hibs rematch

Published on Thursday 16 February 2012 03:51

A HALF-TIME change of tactics by manager Brian Reid helped cup specialists Ayr come from behind to beat Falkirk last night and set up another Scottish Cup clash at home to Hibs.

That quarter-final encounter against the Easter Road side gives the First Division strugglers a chance to repeat the upset of Hibs that they managed in last season’s competition. The Hibs manager Pat Fenlon was on media duty at Somerset Park last night to see for himself what a tough tie awaits his team against a side who will be looking to reach their second semi-final of the season after making it to the last four of the League Cup.

Progress to the quarter-finals looked unlikely for Ayr, however, when they fell behind after just six minutes. Teenager Craig Sibbald’s cut-back to Willie Gibson was swept across the field and from 18-yards, Farid El Alagui rose to head the Bairns in front. El Alagui came close to a second in ten minutes, sliding-in at the front post to meet a knee-high Sibbald cross, but he sent his close-range effort over the top. Ayr weren’t in the game, so it was a major surprise when, in almost their first venture into the visitors’ penalty box, they levelled in 19 minutes.

Adam Dodd burst in from the left wing and unleashed a terrific rising shot which flashed over Michael McGovern’s shoulder, crashed off the crossbar and came down. Any debate about over the line or not was ruled superfluous when Ayr’s Andy Greggan reacted fastest to bundle the ball home once and for all. But this was a rare interruption to a pattern of Falkirk dominance, with Keiran Duffie, down the right, Mark Millar in midfield and Sibbald down the left providing a stream of tasty crosses towards El Alagui, although the tie remained all-square at the break.

Falkirk were again first to threaten after the break, Gibson sweeping a short Millar corner goalwards, first-time, but, under pressure from Darren Dods, goal scorer Greggan turned goal stopper to head off the line. But with Ayr pressing the ball better than in the first half, Falkirk survived a strong penalty claim when a Mark Roberts shot seemed to hit an arm before substitute Michael McGowan gloriously beat two defenders in the box, only for his cross to find no takers. However, in 57 minutes, Ayr were rewarded. Roberts swung over a cross from the left, Dods handled – penalty, no objection from Falkirk and no chance for McGovern to stop Robertson’s beautifully-struck 12-yarder.

Ayr then had another penalty claim, for an even clearer hand ball rejected two minutes later as McGowan’s cross appeared to hit Wallace’s arm, only for referee Allan, who was right on the spot, to rule: “ball to arm – no penalty”.

But Falkirk weren’t totally out of things and in 66 minutes Kevin Cuthbert had to produce the save of the night to keep out a powerful El Alagui header. Ayr could have sealed the tie in 80 minutes, Roberts and McGowan played a wonderful one-two, but McGowan’s deep cross was headed against the back post by Greggan. In the end, they didn’t need to take this chance.

Ayr United: Cuthbert, Tiffoney, Malone, Campbell (Wardlaw), Smith, Greggan, Dodd, Tomsett, Moffat, Roberts, Trouten (McGowan 51). Subs not used: McWilliams, McKernon, Robertson.

Falkirk: McGovern, Duffie, Scobbie, Dodds, Wallace, Murdoch, Alston, Miller (Fulton 79), El Alagui, Gibson (White 69), Sibbald (Bennett 83). Subs not used: Bowman, Kingsley.

Referee: C Allan. Att: 1873.

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6

donald marr

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:42 AM

Hope Murray doesn't start against them.

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Talking Sense

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 09:44 AM

Is it Friday already or is it last Friday? Groundhogg day!

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MrHibs07-1973

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 08:17 AM

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View From The Shed

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 07:06 AM

#1 It,s Friday and I know you,re having a laugh!!! They put you out the Cup last year,they put us out the League cup and have taken some other big scalps in Cup matches. Hibs are away from home and still struggling. Tell us how your going to beat Ayr?

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MrHibs07-1973

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:28 AM

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1

vladhibs

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 04:27 AM

A bye into the semis, that will do for me then beat the yaks and then the weegie tramps in the final, it's that easy

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