Ayr United 1
Hibernian 0
Scottish Cup (3rd Round Replay)

Match Report

Mark Roberts was the goal hero as Ayr United dumped hapless Hibernian out of the Scottish Cup at Somerset Park.

Roberts danced one way then the other before planting a composed shot into the bottom corner on 19 minutes.

The Second Division side had David Crawford to thank for first-half saves from John Rankin and Kevin McBride.

Crawford got fingertips to a curling Derek Riordan strike and kept out a Colin Nish header, while Paul Hanlon and Liam Miller went close for Hibs.

The fourth round replay ended with a small band of delirious home fans on the pitch celebrating with United's part-time players.

And having more than matched Hibs over two games, Brian Reid's side will go into the next round believing they can upset St Mirren.

For the visiting supporters it was a night of misery in what has been an awful campaign.
Manager Colin Calderwood has won just two of the 14 games he has overseen since replacing John Hughes in late October, with this reverse surely the nadir of his tenure.

Calderwood has repeatedly chopped and changed the team and opted for an experienced line-up on a wet night in Ayrshire.

The visitors did forge several chances to get a foothold in the match but Crawford was in fine form, while his United team-mates put in a shift full of commitment.

The all important breakthrough came when Hibs were caught on the break following a long spell of possession.

Andy Rodgers returned the ball to Roberts who took it down just inside the box, but there appeared to be limited danger as Ian Murray and Hanlon blocked his way to goal.

However, the 35-year-old striker moved the ball from foot to foot until he had time and space to shoot, and smartly guided the ball into the bottom corner.

Hibs had an instant chance to level when Darryl Duffy's pass found Rankin, who charged into the area unchallenged but saw his shot blocked by the foot of Crawford.

The hosts were later caught square and McBride burst towards goal with Crawford rooted to his line. But the Ayr goalkeeper parried the midfielder's angled effort and the home defence blocked Riordan's follow-up.

The underdogs started the second half brightly but right-back Jonathan Tiffoney almost gifted Hibs a 57th-minute equaliser when he tried and failed to take the ball round Riordan inside the box after Nish had won a long free-kick in the air.

Riordan immediately curled the ball towards the far corner but Crawford threw himself to his left to push wide. Ayr soon had another narrow escape when Tiffoney nodded Hanlon's header off the line following a corner.

Ayr responded and both Roberts and Rodgers came close to converting Tiffoney's low cross that was spilled by nervous Hibs keeper Graeme Smith.

Liam Miller saw a shot deflected fly narrowly wide after a lay-off from Nish, whose header from the resulting corner was pushed wide by the diving Crawford.

But Hibs ran out of steam and failed to keep up the pressure, with Brown almost spilling Scott McLaughlin's free-kick at the other end.

The home were pressed back in the final 10 minutes as Crawford held Riordan's powerful strike and David Wotherspoon twice fired wide from inside the penalty box.

However, there were no further scares as Ayr clinched the biggest upset of this year's contest so far.

Match report written by BBC