McCall wants Moore of that
Boss left with selection headache after double
Ian McCall admits he now faces a selection poser after Craig Moore stepped off the bench to score a double and set up another for good measure.
Lawrence Shankland’s brace took his tally to 17 for the season while Declan McDaid celebrated a rare start with a dazzling display that was topped by the fifth goal.
Now gaffer McCall concedes he doesn’t know what team he will field against Dundee United on Saturday, such is his embarrassment of riches.
Ayr are flying high after destroying Morton with a second- half blitz that left the Greenock side flailing on the ropes.
McCall claimed: “I have no idea what team I’ll put out next week. I have a really strong bench and everyone is champing at the bit to play.
“Stevie Bell has come in for the last two games and done exceptionally well so he and Jamie Adams are really fighting for that position.
“Craig Moore had been a bit down – he had been ill at the start of the season and was pushing for a start.
“Ross Docherty has been out for seven or eight months but he came on. Craig McGuffie was also down because he hadn’t had a lot of game time but was instrumental in a goal. Declan did really well and got a goal. It was just a terrific day.”
McCall claimed his rampant league leaders were in total charge of a first- half which ended all square.
He said: “Lawrence missed a really good chance but scored one. We felt we were really in control but then a bad error allowed Charlie Telfer to score.
“In the last half hour we were irresistible and looked like scoring every time we went up the park.”
Ayr’s 511 travelling fans were shoehorned into a corner of the Cappielow Cow Shed but they out sang the home support who were hoping to give new boss Jonatan Johannson a first win.
The Black and White army were in full voice after 19 minutes. McDaid’s corner was headed back across goal by Michael Rose and lashed home from close range by Shankland.
It was all square 10 minutes before the break when Robbie Crawford was caught in possession and Telfer rifled a drive into the bottom corner for his first goal in Morton colours.
‘ Ton won a penalty four minutes after the restart when Ross Doohan brought down Gary Oliver but the on- loan Celtic keeper redeemed by saving Michael Tidser’s poorly struck spot- kick.
Ayr then showed the hosts how it’s done with four goals in the last 16 minutes.
Moore turned in a deflected McGuffie cross at the back post and then crossed for Shankland to sweep the ball home.
Ryan Scully then denied Shankland his hat- trick before Moore drove home Ayr’s fourth from Andy Murdoch’s pass, McDaid had the last word in the final minute after Shankland’s shot was blocked.
Ian McCall has blasted referee Bobby Madden and the SFA over a “lack of respect” for his club.
The Ayr United boss watched his side hammer Morton 5- 1 in the league on Saturday, but still in the back of his mind was the penalty shout that was denied against Rangers last Wednesday.
The Honest Men lost 4- 0 at Ibrox and manager McCall admits he has no issue with referees making errors, but he was left fuming by Madden’s failure to phone him and apologise.
McCall said: “I have no problems with referees making mistakes. I make mistakes all the time, we all do.
“But not to phone us after seeing how clear it ( the penalty) was is a really poor show.
“So that makes me question whether it’s because it’s Ayr United and no one talks about it.
“But we have to defend our club, and the decision was wrong and they should have phoned.
“I find it absolutely outrageous. I feel as if I have got to stick up for Ayr United. Because we are Ayr, it just seems to have been swept under the carpet.
“You heard all the hoo- ha about Alfredo Morelos getting a yellow card.
“There are all sorts of incidents lately that have been examined within an inch of their life but this is absolutely the clearest penalty you would ever see.”
The Ayr manager added: “Bobby is a good referee and a good guy, but there are plenty of people in agreement that it’s a penalty — yet Bobby still thinks he is right. I think that he has made a really poor decision in a crucial part of the game.
“I am not saying for one minute we would have beaten Rangers but there was the possibility to make it 1- 1, which would have changed the game and may have given us a bit more belief.
“Yet no one has spoken about it — and it was the clearest incident in the game. So I am very disappointed.
“We are trying to re- invent our club into something good and vibrant but it’s a complete lack of respect from the referee and the SFA.”
Ayr stayed at the summit of the Championship with their impressive victory at Morton.
Doubles from Craig Moore, Lawrence Shankland and a Declan McDaid strike put Jonatan Johannson’s side to the sword.
McCall said: “It’s good to see us scoring so many goals.
“We have shown over the past year we can do that though, so it should be no real surprise to anyone.
“It just means choosing the team for Saturday will be really tough.
“There is a lot of options there, and a lot of players ready to play.
“I’d say it’s a nice problem of course, but it’s still a problem.”
And McCall will do battle with his former team this weekend as Ayr take on Dundee United at Somerset.
The Arabs parted company with manager Csaba Laszlo on Sunday, with assistant Laurie Ellis to take charge of the weekend clash.
Ahead of the game, McCall said: “Sometimes