Shankland’s starring role in six-goal thriller
AYR UNITED 3 Shankland (pen 21, 25), Geggan (43) ROSS COUNTY 3 Mullin (12), Mckay (48), Cowie (52)
County co-boss Steven Ferguson claimed he was mystified why ref Bobby Madden sent him to the stand in a six-goal top of the table thriller.
Madden ordered the former Ayr star up the tunnel seconds after the home team had taken a 3-1 lead.
Josh Mullin’s wonder strike gave the Staggies an early lead but a Lawrence Shankland double before the break, taking his season’s tally to 28 goals, seemed to put United firmly in the driving seat.
However, two goals in four minutes from Billy Mckay and Don Cowie ensured a share of the spoils and left no one in a wind and rain-swept crowd feeling short-changed.
Ferguson said: “Hand on heart, I don’t know what happened with my sending off. I was genuinely concerned for Keith Watson as I thought he was knocked out. I didn’t swear – I just asked the ref firmly if he was OK.
“But it’s not about me, it’s how about both sets of players did. I was genuinely surprised as I thought you at least had to swear to get sent off.
“But it would be criminal to talk about me rather than the players. We’re really happy with the point given we were 3-1 down.”
Somerset boss McCall claimed: “We lost the toss which was crucial.
“The first-half was a real game of football and we played really well.
“Lawrence actually missed his easiest chance for what would have been his hat-trick.
“The weather really changed for the second-half and we found ourselves playing into a hurricane.
“They went long ball and there’s nothing wrong with that and they thoroughly deserved a draw although we had the best chance of the second-half with Liam Smith from two yards.
“But we dug in and changed it to put on more height and it’s a good point in the end.”
The Highlanders took the lead with a stunning effort after 12 minutes. Stelios Demetriou crossed from the left of the Ayr box and Mullin pounced with a powerful volley on the drop into the top corner.
Shankland almost brought a quick response when he stepped inside and aimed for the bottom corner, only for Scott Fox to save well.
County came close to doubling their lead after 16 minutes when Ross Stewart took the ball to the byline and tried to squeeze home a shot which ran across the face of goal.
Ayr were level five minutes later.
Michael Rose was pushed by Ross Draper as he tried to meet a Declan McDaid corner and Madden pointed to the spot. Up stepped Shankland to rifle the ball into the bottom corner.
There was no stopping Shankland and predictably when Ayr took the lead only four minutes after equalising, the striker who is being chased by a string of clubs, again took centre stage.
McDaid was again the provider this time with a free-kick which Shankland stabbed past Fox.
The Staggies were stunned by the manner of Ayr’s response but it needed a fine save by Ross Doohan at the feet of Jamie Lindsay to prevent them drawing level.
United struck again two minutes before the interval. Shankland’s header was stopped on the line but the clearance only went as far as Geggan, who knocked it home.
Ferguson was then ordered into the stand for his comments.
County hit back three minutes into the second period. Steven Bell was booked for a push on Mckay and the striker wrong footed Doohan with the resultant penalty.
It was all square after 52 minutes when Doohan beat out a shot from Mullin only as far as Cowie who hit the ball into the roof of the net.
The frantic action continued but neither could begrudge the other a point.