Staggies go top after bursting Ayr’s bubble
ROSS COUNTY 2 MCKAY (23), MULLIN (34) AYR UNITED 1 SHANKLAND (49)
Ayr United were toppled from the Championship summit despite mounting a stirring revival.
Ross County leapt above the Honest Men on the strength of that dazzling first 45 minutes, with Billy Mckay’s eighth finish of the season and a wonder strike from Josh Mullin proving enough in the end for the Dingwall men.
But Lawrence Shankland’s 19th goal of the campaign came during a transformed second-half performance from the Somerset Park men and the former Aberdeen striker was denied late on by a brilliant tip over the bar from home goalkeeper Scott Fox.
It was thrilling stuff at the close of the Championship’s first quarter, with County co-manager Steve Ferguson effusive in his praise of his own team and the visitors.
“It was tough second half all right!” Ferguson acknowledged.
“We started the game exactly as we wanted and scored a couple of really good goals.
“The second half was a different game altogether, and fair play to Ayr for that.
“We had to deal with losing three big players to injury – two centre-halves and Iain Vigurs – and that’s always difficult.
“We set ourselves little targets – and being top after the first quarter was one of them, but to get there, we had to deal with a really good Ayr side.
“Ian Mccall’s got them punching way above their weight after coming up from the league below, and you can see why they are on the points total they are.”
The Honest Men were soon troubled
by County’s early exuberance, as the hosts’ play was filled with ideas and intent.
Home skipper Liam Fontaine went off injured after 17 minutes, but six minutes later County were in front.
County left-back Sean Kelly swerved the ball across from the left and it took a nick off Jamie Lindsay’s head before spinning to Mckay who rocketed the ball
high into the net from 12 yards.
County were clearly enjoying their football and, after 32 minutes, a long Mckay back-heel pass inside from the left had Davis Keillor-dunn rattling the outside post.
It was 2-0 two minutes later after a wonderful finish. Former Livingston winger Josh Mullin shrugged off several challenges before unleashing a perfect,
rising left-foot shot into the corner of the net.
Ayr needed something – and what a response they came up with in the second period.
County’s first-half air of comfort quickly evaporated and sheer power from Shankland took him away from Morris before lashing in his 19th goal of the campaign.
Morris became County’s second centre-half of the day to hobble off injured straight after the goal, with 19-year-old Tom Grivosti coming on for his senior debut.
County creaked for long spells of the second period under torrid pressure and it took a fantastic save from home keeper Fox to preserve the lead from Shankland’s blast with eight minutes left. Ayr boss Mccall said: “I thought Ross County played very well in the first half and merited at least a two-goal lead, but we were really poor.
“We had a lot of players not playing well. I had a wee go at them and we were more aggressive – and a draw would have been a fair result in the end.”