Hibernian 0
Ayr United 0
Scottish Cup (Third Round)

Match Report

Second Division Ayr United kept Hibernian at bay at Easter Road in a goalless Scottish Cup fourth round tie.

Colin Calderwood's Hibs side were poor in the first half but after the break striker Derek Riordan deflected a Liam Miller shot on to the bar.

As a disappointing game petered out, David Crawford was at full stretch to save from Riordan from 12 yards.

And in the final seconds only a great save by Mark Brown from Andy Rodgers earned Hibs a replay at Somerset Park.

Hibs have been waiting for more than a century for Scottish Cup success and, although Calderwood is in the very early days of his Easter Road tenure, defeat to lower league opposition was unthinkable for the former Scotland defender.

But it was evident from the early exchanges that Brian Reid's Ayr side, backed by 1,500 of their fans, were in the capital to give the Leith side a stern test.

They had the first chance of the match when Ryan McCann's volley skipped across the face of Brown's goal and past his right-hand post.

And an early tackle by Eddie Malone on the advancing Francis Dickoh, which sent the Hibs man somersaulting over the the ball, was just the sort of challenge to rally the Ayrshiremen.

Midfielders Liam Miller and Merouane Zemmama tried to get on the ball to create a chance for the home side, but Hibs did not have a shot on goal by the time Ayr carved their second opportunity.

A simple pass by Mark Roberts set up Scott McLaughlin 20 yards out but he snatched at his shot and screwed it wide.

Riordan, partnered by Darryl Duffy up front, looked the Hibs player most likely to get on the scoresheet.

Towards the end of the first half he peeled off to the left and took a pass from Danny Galbraith but uncharacteristically hoofed his shot high into the stand.

Moments later he raced towards the penalty spot to collect a long through ball from Zemmama but was fractionally short of connecting with the Moroccan's incisive pass.

After the break Zemmama's effort from the right side of the box was quickly followed by a volley from six yards out by Miller but it crashed off the legs of the advancing Ayr keeper.

But after that save the United number one almost gifted Hibs a goal when his attempt at a volley to clear a Zemmama low cross went horribly wrong.

Crawford missed the ball completely but fortunately for the Honest Men his centre-half cleared the danger.

The season for giving gifts may have passed but Thicot seemed keen to extend it when he opted to pass the ball back to Brown from the corner of the pitch.

McCann collected and, with only the keeper to beat, he knocked the ball hopelessly wide with the Hibs goalie out to narrow the angle.

Ayr number eight McLaughlin curled a left-footed free-kick a foot or so over Brown's bar as the visitors cranked up the pressure.

Calderwood made a double substitution with 16 minutes to go, sending Valdas Trakys and David Wotherspoon on for Duffy and Zemmama.

Seconds later Miller thundered a right-foot volley at goal from the edge of the box and it was knocked on to the crossbar by a disbelieving Riordan.

The Hibs striker almost put his team through at the end of the 90 minutes when he collected the ball over his right shoulder and struck a shot to his left - an effort that was matched by the fully stretched Crawford.

The home side came within inches of going out the Scottish Cup in almost the last move of the match. Sub Rodgers worked his way into the box and curled a powerful right-foot shot to the far post but Brown pulled off a great save to keep the tie alive.

At the final whistle, it was Reid and the travelling fans who celebrated.

Match report written by BBC