McCall fizzes as Bru bid goes flat
Sutton strikes double to leave Ayr up in arms
Exasperated Ian McCall still doesn’t know how Ayr lost a game they had in the bag.
Andy O’Connell’s first goal as an Honest Man seemed to have United heading for the semi- finals of the IRN- BRU Cup.
But then up stepped John Sutton with two strikes in an incredible 112 seconds to take St Mirren through and leave Ayr shattered.
Boss McCall said: “I have to examine why we lost late goals like we did and I’m not sure how it happened.
“I’m not saying St Mirren didn’t deserve to win and I wish them all the best but we felt so in control on the game at 1- 0.
“I have tried very hard not to bleat about decisions in my time back but the ball was clearly out for the first goal.
“Then there was a bad slip for the second and big Sutton does what he does and it goes in at the back post.
“The goals came out of nothing but it was after that we should have responded better and we didn’t.”
McCall was pleased with the contribution of towering striker O’Connell who stepped off the bench for the last half- hour to break his scoring duck after his summer switch from Cobh Ramblers.
He said: “Andy has got himself a lot fitter and right at this minute he looks like an impact sub.”
The late goals gave Buddies boss Jack Ross his first win in five games but for a long time at the Paisley 2021 Stadium on Sunday, it looked like his barren run would continue.
Ayr went with an adventurous lineup with Alan Forrest, Gary Harkins and Craig McGuffie encouraged to be free spirits and take the game to Saints at every opportunity.
But there was an early blow when Paddy Boyle was led off with a bloodied nose to be replaced by Daryll Meggatt.
Greg Fleming did well to save good efforts from Sutton and Kyle McAllister before Forrest passed up the best chance 10 minutes before the interval.
A great run by McGuffie ended with Forrest free inside the box but the newly capped Scotland Under 21 player could only shoot straight at Scott Gallagher.
Fleming saved well from Stevie Mallan soon after the break before Ayr took the lead in the 67th minute.
Another good surge and pass from McGuffie ended with Meggatt having a shot saved but O’Connell followed up to fire home from eight yards.
But just as Ayr were sensing victory, it all went wrong as Sutton twice turned the knife in lethal fashion.
He hooked home a left- foot shot on the turn from a Mallan cross and then poked home the winner from a Kyle Magennis pass.
Lawrence Shankland hit the crossbar and had a header disallowed for shoving as Saints finished on top with Ayr wavering.
For Ayr, it was another Mortonstyle collapse in a tie that was theirs for the winning.
Hopefully, harsh lessons will be learned in time for Saturday.