The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Rovers rue red card as Harkins nets late Stark’s Park leveller
Undone by late strike which earns Ayr a share of points at Stark’s Park
Raith Rovers boss Gary Locke was left to rue Kyle Benedictus’ “crazy” red card against Ayr United as both sides ended a tempestuous 1-1 draw at Stark’s Park with 10 men.
The hosts looked to be on their way to a vital win when Joel Coustrain’s fine early strike broke the deadlock.
However, Benedictus was dismissed for two bookings in quick succession, one for dissent and the other for scything down Nicky Devlin.
But Ayr’s numerical advantage was lost when Paul Cairney was ordered off for a rash tackle on Ross Callachan.
Despite Rovers attempting to hold out for a fourth clean sheet in a row, Gary Harkins rescued a point with a sumptuous 87th minute free-kick.
“You are not going to see two clearer red cards all season,” said Locke.
“Bene [Benedictus] holds his hands up. He has been a colossus for us all season but the tackle for his second yellow card was crazy, just as Paul Cairney’s was.
“I was disappointed with the first booking for Bene as well. It was stupid. We are very strict on dissent. You have got to channel complaints in the right manner, especially when you are the captain. He knows he has done wrong and I will speak to him about it.
“However, as a team we were nowhere near good enough, either. We didn’t deserve to win.”
Coustrain – handed a place in the starting XI following an impressive cameo against the Sons on Saturday – cut inside from the right flank and fizzed a fine drive beyond Greg Fleming, with the aid of the slightest of deflections.
The Honest Men sought to respond when a deep cross was spilled under pressure by Kevin Cuthbert, only for the ball to be scrambled clear.
Benedictus’ furious complaints that his goalkeeper was fouled resulted in what would prove a very costly caution.
Ayr’s best chance to restore parity in the first period came when Craig McGuffie almost scored direct from a corner, with a fine save from Cuthbert tipping his delivery on to the bar.
The game was turned on its head as half-time approached when a marauding Devlin was hacked down by Benedictus, leaving referee Craig Charleston no choice but to show the Rovers skipper his second yellow card.
Ayr should have levelled immediately after the break when the excellent Devlin cut the ball across the face of goal, inviting a tap-in, only for Kevin Nisbet to scoop it over the bar.
Ayr’s momentum was lost when Cairney lunged at Callachan on the flank to earn a straight red card.
Cuthbert then made a late, pointblank save to deny Alan Forrest.
But Harkins had the final say when Kevin McHattie gave away a foul on the edge of the box, allowing the playmaker to curl in a sensational late leveller.
Attendance: 1,241.