WREXHAM 1 Bickerstaff (71) AYR UNITED 1 Roscoe (87) Wrexham win 6-5 on penalties

Ayr United boss Ian McCall was left to rue the lottery of penalties, after the Honest Men exited the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup after a shoot-out defeat in Wrexham.

Despite dominating possession for large periods of the game, Ayr looked to be heading out after Jake Bickerstaff’s goal, but Sam Roscoe headed in a late leveller.

The Honest Men piled forward looking for a winner but could not prevent a penalty shoot-out.

And, after both teams scored their first five penalties, Luke McCowan’s effort was saved and Ellis Hare-Reid could not keep Jake Lawlor’s winning kick out.

“I felt we were the better team for most of the game, barring a couple of counterattacks,” he said.

“We’ve had a couple of good chances in the last few minutes that could have won it for us. I thought Alan Forrest’s last chance was going in.

“We are gutted to go out. It’s the second time we’ve gone out on penalties, albeit our first five were great.”

McCall rued Ayr’s wastefulness in attack, adding: “We moved the ball OK but not as well as we can, and I thought we were wasteful in the attacking third.

“I’m disappointed for our wonderful fans, who made a hell of a racket.”

Wrexham had the best chance of the first half, when Scot Leighton McIntosh raced on to Bickerstaff’s pass on 18 minutes but shot wide.

Alan Forrest was at the centre of most of Ayr’s best chances, but he shot over midway through the second half after cutting in from the wing.

Wrexham were in front on 71 minutes – Bickerstaff pounced on a loose ball in the area, turning and firing into the bottom corner.

Ayr responded well. Dawid Szczepaniak’s fingertip save denied Forrest on 86 minutes but, when Wrexham failed to deal with the corner, Roscoe headed in a leveller.