Ross County ease into League Cup third round after Ayr win
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ROSS County eased into the third round of the Scottish League Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Ayr United.
Liam Boyce's driven effort two minutes into the game set County on their way, with Michael Gardyne adding a fine second five minutes into the second half.
Their name will now be in Thursday afternoon's draw, when last season's Premiership top five join the rest of the midweek winners.
Five changes were made from the Staggies' side that comprehensively beat Kilmarnock at the weekend. Scott Fox, Chris Robertson, Rocco Quinn, Jonathan Franks and Craig Curran came out, with Daniel Bachmann, Ian McShane, Raffaele De Vita, Brian Graham and Scott Boyd – making his record 288 club appearance – coming in.
The home side shot out of the blocks inside three minutes with the opening goal. Jamie Reckord's diagonal ball was chested down by Jackson Irvine into the path of Boyce, who fired in via the aid of a deflection.
Going a goal behind far from deflated the Honest Men, who kept the County midfield on its toes by closing down every touch of the ball. Alan Trouten cast his net towards the home goal on 18 minutes but his angled shot flew over.
Ayr full-back Nicky Devlin was finding space for himself down the right flank and delivered a pair of dangerous crosses which County did well to clear. At the opposite end, Irvine was making a nuisance of himself around the penalty area, having an appeal for a spot-kick turned down before floating a header wide.
Replacement County goalkeper Bachmann, making his first start for the club, had little to do in the first-half, however he was a bystander for Craig McCracken's shot that flashed wide of his near post.
One of McIntyre's five changes, Graham came close 10 minutes before the break when he met Reckord's cut-back. Unfortunately for the former Dundee United forward, his header landed on the roof of Greg Fleming's net.
De Vita had the final chance of the first half from Marcus Fraser's cross, steering over from 12 yards as the visitors went in at the break with just a one-goal deficit.
The small margins would not last long into the second half, though, as the Staggies doubled their advantage on 50 minutes. Graham and Boyce combined, with the Northern Irishman setting Gardyne away and he stepped inside two defenders before curling a well-placed effort beyond Fleming.
McIntyre's men were firmly in the ascendancy now and keen to add to their tally. Boyce had his head in his hands moments later as he connected at full-stretch with a diving header from Gardyne's cross, only to send his effort wide.
If the home side could have had any qualms about their performance, it will have been the profligacy in front of goal. Irvine looked for a pass when well-placed to shoot, De Vita shot straight at Fleming when played in by Fraser and Graham failed to capitalise on Ross Docherty's short back-pass when he lifted his effort wide.
Chances were few and far between for the League One side but Devlin will feel he should have pulled a goal back on the hour. Found in space on the right-hand side of the area, the Ayr captain blazed high over the bar.
Boyce could have extended the lead on 70 minutes when he shot straight at Fleming before substitute Tony Dingwall brought a smart reflex save out of the visiting stopper. Further opportunities came through Graham and Boyce, blocked by Boyle and McCracken respectively, as County held on for safe passage into the third round.
ROSS COUNTY: Bachmann; Fraser, Davies, Boyd, Reckord, Gardyne (Holden, 77), McShane, Irvine, De Vita (Dingwall, 62), Graham, Boyce (Quinn, 82). Subs unused: Fox, Robertson, Foster, Murdoch. Booked: none.
AYR UNITED: Fleming; Devlin, McLaughlin, McCracken, Boyle, Gilmour, Adams (Preston, 58), Docherty, Donald, Trouten (Forrest, 22), Caldwell (Preston, 46). Subs unused: Newman, Crawford, Moore, Nisbet, Muir. Booked: Adams.
Referee: C. Charleston.
