CRAIG Moore may have been tempted to buy his team-mate Michael Moffat a pint to say thanks last night. If footballers are allowed a pint that is. Moore was stupidly sent off on the hour for a petulant kick on Gregor Buchanan. Half-an-hour later, Moffat saved the home side’s skin when he booted Buchanan’s goal bound header off the line in the last knockings to salvage a point for the Championship leaders. That extended their lead at the top to five.

“Craig has held his hands up about the sending off and the others worked their socks off to get him out of jail,” said Ayr manager Ian McCall. “I put Michael on to get a winner then he actually saved one on the line which was different class. It could be a good point at the end of the season.”

There has been a history of goals between these two teams. Ayr rattled in five in September’s encounter at Cappielow while Morton romped to a 4-1 win when they met at Somerset Park last season. For much of the first half yesterday however it seemed there was more chance of a resolution to Brexit being amicably agreed in the Wee Windaes pub than there was of seeing a goal.

A little flurry of activity just before the break at least roused the senses with Gary Oliver and Bob McHugh having chances for the visitors before Lawrence Shankland had a curling effort on the run palmed away by Derek Gaston. But the real roaring and bawling was reserved for beleaguered referee Willie Collum and his stand side assistant as they both did nothing as Oliver stood too close to a free-kick on two occasions. The first one hit him. And so did the second one when it was retaken. McCall just about shrieked his lungs dry in a fury.

Ayr emerged for the resumption with plenty of purpose. Moore plonked a header wide while both Robbie Crawford and Mark Kerr tested Gaston as the hosts tried to up the ante. And then things took a turn for the worse. Moore had already won a free-kick after being fouled by Buchanan but lashed out with a reverse kick right under the nose of Collum. Even Wullie couldn’t miss that and the red card was instantly brandished.

Ayr kept plugging away with depleted numbers but Morton had the best chances. Oliver cracked the foot of the post before Buchanan nearly pinched it at the death. “It’s the league leaders away and I thought the performance and the work-rate was very good,” said Morton manager Jonatan Johansson. “We created enough chances to take all three points but it wasn’t to be.”