Single slip costs dominant Ayr dear as Harper pounces
AYR UNITED 0 INVERNESS CT 1
Harper (47)
Ayr manager Lee Bullen was left stunned after Cammy Harper’s header gave Inverness victory against the odds after his side had totally dominated a one-sided first half.
United forced 20 corners to Caley’s three but were stunned two minutes after the break when Harper headed a shock winner to give the Highlanders a third away win on the trot.
Bullen sighed: “If ever there was a game that summed up the Championship and how ruthless it is that was it today. For large parts of the game we dominated in many areas but weren’t ruthless enough at the top end.
“The message at half-time was that this is a game of concentration because we were so far in front but then one slip left us chasing the game.
“There were still a lot of pleasing aspects but ultimately it’s another game without a clean sheet and we need to get back on track. We had more than enough opportunities without relying on a last-minute penalty appeal.
“It’s a sore one for us but it’s not all doom and gloom.”
Caleey keeper Mark Ridgers fumbled a corner taken by Paddy Reading after 10 minutes before the ball was scrambled to safety.
Ayr maintained their hot start and Sam Ashford went close when he headed against the bar from a Josh Mullin cross after Dipo Akinyemi used his strength to create space.
Inverness showed their threat on the break after 14 minutes when Dan Mackay turned smartly inside the box and whipped in a fierce shot which Charlie Albinson dived to beat aside.
With the elements at their back, Ayr needed something to show for their efforts but they contrived to squander another golden chance six minutes before the interval. Ashford picked out Mark McKenzie only three yards out but the striker failed to hit the target.
It was a costly miss as Caley punished Ayr by taking the lead in 47 minutes totally against the run of play. Steven Boyd’s clever ball forward was tailor-made for Harper who glanced a header beyond the reach of the diving Albinson.
The visitors almost counted again when George Oakley squeezed in a header at the back post from a David Carson cross but Albinson was alert.
Ayr made a triple switch on the hour, including the introduction of new loan signing Logan Chalmers from Dundee United.
Jayden-Mitchell Lawson cut inside and curled a sweet shot just wide before Mark Ridgers pulled off a fine save to keep out a Paddy Reading free-kick as Ayr tried to reply. Ayr had penalty claims denied when Mitchell-Lawson went down under a Danny Devine challenge but Colin Steven was unmoved.
Harper was a last-gasp saviour when he cleared a netbound effort off the line in a frantic Ayr attack.
Caley boss Billy Dodds admitted: “We weren’t at our best but we ground out a huge three points. We had to dig in and defend well.
“Ayr asked questions of and will think they were unlucky to lose but we managed the game well..
“We could have had a second goal but their keeper made a great save to deny a header from George Oakley.”