Morton 2-2 Ayr United
Greenock Morton welcomed Ayr United on a sombre afternoon at Cappielow Park where Morton manager Dougie Imrie took his place in the dugout despite the heart breaking loss of his infant daughter earlier in the week.
Prior to the game, a minute’s silence was impeccably observed by both sets of supporters before kick-off as Imrie made two changes from their Premier Sports Cup defeat to Aberdeen while Scott Brown and his Ayr United side were still on the hunt for their first league win as he made five alternations.
But the match poignantly began with the home support rallying behind their manager, with the Cowshed section chanting his name loudly in the opening stages and throughout the match.
United carved out the first real chance when Marco Rus broke free down the left and whipped in a front-post cross for Curtis Main, but the ex-St Mirren striker’s flick was well blocked by James Storer.
Morton were handed a penalty midway through the first half. A perfectly weighted through ball from Cammy Ballantyne released Michael O’Halloran, whose cutback struck the hand of a United defender.
Eamonn Brophy took responsibility from the spot and calmly slotted the ball low into the bottom-left corner.
📺 WATCH NOW: Morton manager Dougie Imrie speaks post game
David Mitchell dived the right way, but even at full stretch he could not prevent the former Kilmarnock man’s precise strike.
Despite a flurry of chances for Main, Morton held firm and went into the interval a goal to the good.
Brown’s Ayr side left still searching desperately for a breakthrough going into the second period.
United found it within minutes of the restart, Main rising at the back post to meet a free-kick and hooking the ball across goal for Kevin Holt to tuck away, bringing the sides level.
The visitors then turned the game on its head from another set piece.
A superbly delivered corner from Ethan Walker was met at the near post by Nick McAllister.
📺 WATCH NOW: Ayr United boss Scott Brown gives his post game thoughts
The Honest Men skipper glanced his header home to give Ayr the lead inside the opening quarter of the second half.
Storer kept Morton alive late on, producing a brilliant reflex stop to deny George Oakley’s thunderous header from inside the six-yard box.
That save proved pivotal. With the clock running down, Nathan Shaw whipped in a curling cross to the back post, where Brophy rose to glance a simple header past Mitchell, sparking relief and jubilation among the home support.
Zach McKay would test Mitchell late on but the scores would remain level. Both sides continue to search for their first league win.
After a traumatic week Morton will be the happier of the two sides, the players turning up for their manager with the type of grit and destination that will surely see them move up the table this season.
PLAYER RATINGS:
Morton: Storer 6; Ballantyne 7, Moore 5, Longridge 6, Delaney 5 (Corr 4); Blues 6, Robertson 6 (Garrity 5), Shaw 8; O’Halloran 5 (McKay 4), Moffat 6 (Wilson 4), Brophy 9*
Goals: Brophy (23)
Ayr United: Mitchell 6; McAllister 8, Holt 8, Dick 6, McMann 6; Rus 6 (Watret 5), McKenzie 6, Ure 6, Walker 8 (Hastie 4); Oakley 7, Main 6
📺 WATCH NOW: Billy Davies’ post game reaction
