No case for the United defence
Cappielow catastrophe sees Ayr surrender win
They will go down as five of the craziest minutes in Ayr United’s recent history.
And for boss Mark Kerr, wiping them from his team’s memory is now the biggest challenge of his young managerial career.
Even with ten men for most of the second half after Aaron Muirhead’s straight red, United controlled this contest and looked home and hosed.
But from two goals up with the finishing line in sight, they somehow contrived to collapse and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Most worrying for Kerr will be Ayr’s inability to defend three simple long balls as the clock ran down.
The manager, struggling to hide his fury at time up, admitted that “basic errors” proved United’s undoing.
And coming on the back of another two points dropped late in the piece at Inverness, it’s a habit he badly wants to eradicate from his squad.
Kerr said: “I can’t believe how we’ve defended at the goals... we’ve just switched off and made basic mistakes.
“It was like panic stations at the back when they’ve lumped high balls at us late on.
“But we should have had more than enough to deal with that, it’s just poor positioning on our part not to deal with it.”
The boss added: “It’s so hard to take.
“There was so much to be pleased with in that game and then we’ve gone and made such basic errors.
“We chucked two points away at Inverness last week and now we’ve done this.
“To be sitting with only four points out of nine after how we’ve played is really disappointing.”
Ayr had gone into the game fearing weather conditions would prove their biggest obstacle with driving rain and gusting winds making for a tough afternoon.
But a positive first half display full of attacking intent showed United could adapt.
And they really should have been further ahead than just the single goal at the break.
Bruce Anderson, Cammy Smith and Michael Moffat had all threatened before Ayr’s opener in the 24th minute.
And it owed much to great work down the left from Anderson, whose powerful running saw him hit the byline before turning inside for Smith, and he forced an own goal at the near post from ‘ Ton full back Lewis Strapp.
Smith and Anderson could have extended the lead before the break as Ayr looked in control, but they were put on the back foot seven minutes after the restart.
Ref Greg Aitken showed no hesitation in sending Muirhead packing after a touchline lunge on Josh McPake.
But Ayr regrouped and were under little pressure before doubling their lead on 72 when Luke McCowan played in Smith to slot home.
That should have been that but the incredible late comeback was sparked with seven to go when a long ball caught the Ayr defence square and when the ball broke to Gary Oliver, he rounded Viljami Sinisalo to score.
Less than two minutes later they were level when another long ball was headed across his own box by Paddy Reading and Cammy Blues mopped up to score.
Suddenly Ayr were gone and they conceded a third in five minutes when yet another long ball was launched to the back post and Strapp ghosted in completely unmarked to prod past Sinisalo and seal a remarkable comeback.
Morton boss David Hopkin said: “We were playing against a very good Ayr United team who have quality players they’ve taken from Premier League clubs.
“In the first half we got a bit of a runaround and I asked the players for a reaction at half time.
“And I certainly got that. The character we have at this club was there for all to see.”