Scottish Communities League Cup: Ayr United 1 Hearts 1 (4-1 on pens)

Sep 22 2011 By Scott McDermott
Ayr United

CLASSY keeper Kevin Cuthbert was Ayr United's shoot-out hero as the First Division side sent Hearts crashing out the cup on penalties.

The Somerset stopper saved from Danny Grainger and Rudi Skacel to gave striker Mark Roberts the chance to net the decisive spot-kick.

Roberts' penalty made it 4-1 in the shoot-out and ensured Jambos boss Paulo Sergio suffered defeat in his first-ever cup tie in Scotland after his SPL side could only draw 1-1 with the Honest Men in normal time.

Hearts took the lead just after half-time through Scott Robinson's strike but were pegged back after a Marius Zaliukas' slip gave Gareth Wardlaw a free run on goal.

In horrific conditions, Brian Reid's side held on to take it to penalties and Cuthbert was a stand-out between the sticks.

Michael Moffat, James McKernon and Alan Trouten all scored, along with Jambos defender Eggert Jonsson.

But it was Cuthbert's stunning stops from Grainger and Skacel that proved pivotal before Roberts sealed his side's place in the quarter-finals.

It's fair to say that in all his time in Portugal at clubs such as Vitoria Guimaraes and Sporting Lisbon, Hearts boss Sergio would never have experienced a ground quite like Somerset Park.

The open terraces within a few yards of the pitch, with a howling wind sweeping in from the sea - it certainly won't have been what he's used to.

But Sergio's side looked confident at the start as they took the game to the home team and Cuthbert had to be at his best early on to prevent Ayr going behind.

Ryan McGowan's cross was perfect for John Sutton to attack and the hitman's header looked goal-bound before Cuthbert clawed it wide.

The keeper was called into action again a minute later when he parried a David Templeton shot round the post.

Ayr had started slowly but gradually started to ask questions of the Jambos' rearguard.

Their first clear-cut chance fell to Wardlaw from a Moffat cross but with Janos Balogh in no-man's land, his header looped just over.

And suddenly, Sergio's men were on the back foot. Eddie Malone should have put Ayr in front from a Michael McGowan corner on the half hour but he nodded wide from six yards out.

Reid's men, though, would have been happy to go in at the break level, with the thought of shooting towards their own fans in the second half.

But they had barely got out of their own half when their hopes were dashed by Hearts' opener in 48 minutes.

Grainger's cross was only partially cleared and Robinson - who was the Tynecastle side's best player in the opening period - rifled home from the edge of the box.

It was a well-driven shot from the young striker but it fizzed under the body of Cuthbert before nestling in the bottom corner and he should have done better with it.

Despite having the wind at their backs, Ayr were sitting far too deep and inviting Hearts on to them.

On the hour, it looked as though the Gorgie outfit had doubled their lead when Jonsson headed home from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

But after ref Iain Brines had given the goal he was stopped in his tracks by assistant Tom Murphy who had spotted a handball by the Icelanic star.

The decision was reversed and Jonsson was booked - handing United a lifeline, which they duly grabbed in 63 minutes.

Hearts skipper Zaliukas slipped on the edge of his box and allowed Wardlaw to race in on goal.

The big striker made no mistake with his finish, slotting it low past Balogh into the corner.

With the scores level again, both sides began looking for a winner.

Skacel set up Templeton whose shot was smothered by Cuthbert, then Arvydas Novikovas should have made it 2-1 from four yards out but he stabbed his effort straight at the keeper.

At the other end McGowan's corners were causing all sorts of problems for the Hearts defence with the wind forcing the ball towards goal and Balogh had to claw out a wicked inswinger from under his bar with five minutes left.

Ayr were the side piling on the pressure towards the end but as the conditions got worse at Somerset, both teams geared up for extra-time.

By now, heavy rain was being blown across the pitch by a freezing cold wind - and you felt that would suit the home side better.

Roberts was introduced in place of Wardlaw as the underdogs tried to pull off another cup surprise but it was Sergio's men who looked more likely to find the back of the net. And they should have had a penalty just before the interval.

McGowan drove at Chris Smith inside the box and the ex-Rangers kid barged into the Aussie but Brines waved away the appeals.

Skacel had a chance to win it from sub Andy Driver's cross in 108 minutes but the midfielder's shot deflected off a defender and flew wide.

Ayr produced some desperate defending at the death to take it to penalties before Cuthbert's heroics won it for the ecstatic home side.

Ayr United: Cuthbert 8, Tiffoney 7, C Smith 7, J Robertson 4 (R Robertson 54 mins 5), Malone 6, M McGowan 6, Geggan 6, McKernon 6, Moffat 7, Wardlaw 7 (Roberts 94 mins 4), Trouten 7. Subs: McWilliams, Connolly, Burke.

Hearts: Balogh 6, R McGowan 6, Barr 5, Zaliukas 4, Grainger 6, Templeton 6 (Taouil 76 mins 5), Jonsson 6, Skacel 6, Novikovas 4 (Driver 103 mins 2), Robinson 7, Sutton 6 (G Smith 83 mins 2). SUBS: MacDonald, Mrowiec.

Ref: Iain Brines.

Taken from the Daily Record