Extra time header from Eamonn Brophy helps Ross County avoid League Cup shock as Staggies seal quarter final place to move one win away from Hampden
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Airdrieonians 3 (Gallagher x2, O'Connor)
Ross County 4 (Turner, White, Murray, Brophy)
Ross County needed extra time to find a way past a stubborn Airdrionians outfit in the League Cup – but Eamonn Brophy proved to be the match winner for the Staggies when all was said and done.
County had looked comfortable early on, leading 3-1 at half time and clearly in their groove, but they perhaps thought the job was done as time ticked away on Airdrie's hopes of an unlikely comeback.
If that was the case, the Dingwall outfit got a rude awakening when Airdrie hit back twice in the final 10 minutes of normal time to force an extra 30 minutes.
There, though, it was once again County who would take the initiative, with substitute Brophy making the difference with his header to book County's place in the next round.
The Staggies could not have asked for a better start at the Excelsior Stadium, racing into a two-goal lead before the clock had hit 10 minutes.
First it was a well-worked move from the Highlanders that began with a short throw in by Jack Baldwin, who quickly got it back and crossed into the middle.
Connor Randall kept it alive with a header, cushioning the ball down for Kyle Turner to run on to.
The summer signing played a one-two inside the box with Simon Murray, leading to a wonderful curling effort from Turner that snuck inside the post.
Turner had a big role to play in the second too just minutes later, as he returned a drilled cross from Josh Sims into the path of Jordan White to tap in.
At that stage, it looked as though County could run rampant, but their hosts grew into the game and began to create chances of their own.
Aaron Taylor-Sinclair arguably came closest to pulling one back, only being denied by a point-blank save from Ross Laidlaw just before the half-hour mark.
Shortly afterwards Murray Aiken caught Ryan Leak in possession and charged towards goal, cutting on to his left foot and just missing the target with his effort.
Airdrie did cut the deficit in half courtesy of a fantastic run from Adam Frizzell that took Randall and Baldwin out of the game before crossing for Calum Gallagher to tap in from close-range.
Their relief would not last long, though, as County immediately went up the pitch through James Brown's punt forward where Murray held off his man well to finish, making it 3-1 to the visitors.
The second half picked up by and large where the first left off, with both teams battling to try and find further breakthroughs only this time none were forthcoming early on.
Proceedings were somewhat disrupted by a string of fouls that resulted in bookings too, with White, Sims and Brown all having their name taken after the restart.
With a little over 20 minutes left to play, Sims tried to make something happen with a burst of pace, but he hurt himself in the process and had to be replaced.
Just as it began to look as though the game would peter out with the scoreline as it was, Airdrie claimed a second to set up a nervy end to the second round tie.
Jack Baldwin was deemed to have tripped Josh O'Connor inside his own box, giving Gallagher the chance to claim his second of the afternoon from the penalty spot – which he coolly took to reduce the deficit back to a single goal.
That brought Airdrie to life – on and off the pitch. Fans and players alike seemed to have their belief galvanised, and there would be more drama to come.
The hosts pushed hard for an equaliser, and they would get it after sustained pressure down the right hand side.
Their cross was not dealt with by County's defenders, with the ball falling into the path of O'Connor, who slotted into the bottom corner to bring the scores level.
Extra time, then, would be required to separate the sides – and County would strike the first blow.
First, White did well to spread the play out wide before out-muscling his marker to keep possession inside the final third.
Then, he was able to tee up Dylan Smith – playing at right back – who delivered an inch perfect cross to take Airdrie goalkeeper Josh Rae out of the running to win it and pick out Eamonn Brophy at the back post, who headed in.
Airdrie could not find another response, as the Staggies put their name in the hat for the quarter final draw after a dramatic day out at the Excelsior Stadium
Airdrie: Rae, Ballantyne, Taylor-Sinclair (Hancock 102), Fordyce, McGregor (O'Connor 74), Gallagher (Dunlop 106), Frizzell, McMaster, Watson, Aiken (Telfer 65), McGill (Todorov 84).
Subs not used: Hutton, Cassidy, Fellows.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Brown (Smith 69), Baldwin, Turner (Reid 80), Sims (Henderson 69), Loturi (Tillson 58), Harmon (Sheaf 98) Murray (Brophy 69), White, Leak.
Subs not used: Munro, Mackinnon.
Referee: Steven McLean
