McBride: We can’t concede poor goals

Kevin McBride has admitted that Airdrieonians must sort things out at the back.

The Diamonds were knocked out of the IRN-BRU Cup on Sunday after a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Ayr United at Somerset Park.

McBride’s men have failed to deal with crosses into the box so far this season and kept just one clean sheet.

Now Airdrie’s head coach is adopting a back-to-basics approach ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Brechin City.

When asked what can be done to improve matters defensively, McBride said:“Yes – go and head the ball. It’s that simple.

“When balls come into the box, be strong and go and header it.

“The message at half-time [when Airdrie were 2-1 down]

Sun-drenched Somerset Park was the home of an IRN-BRU Cup goal glut as Ayr United scraped into the fourth round.

Ryan Conroy’s free-kick put Airdrieonians ahead but goals from youngster Craig McGuffie and Alan Forrest turned the tide.

Kieran MacDonald’s deflected strike ended up forcing extra-time, in which Ayr prevailed thanks to Conrad Balatoni’s header.

Airdrie’s Sunday afternoon finished on a sour note when striker Iain Russell was sent-off.

Defensive woes

Two of Ayr’s three goals came from aerial balls into the box and this is an area where Airdrie are simply not improving.

The emphasis must be on stopping the cross coming in at source.

However, if there is a successful delivery, the Diamonds must be better at dealing with the danger. You win games in League One by getting the ball forward and putting it in the box. This is a weakness Airdrie’s opponents will exploit ruthlessly.

Set-piece star

The travelling fans were treated to a delightful goal from Conroy who curled a free-kick from around 25 yards into the top corner.

Ayr keeper Greg was to go out and get the next goal and, to be fair to the boys, they showed great fight.

“We knew we were facing a Championship side but over the course of the game I don’t think there was a lot between the two teams.”

Airdrie are this week assessing midfielder Jack Leitch who was carried off with a knee injury.

The former Motherwell midfielder put pen to paper on a deal at New Broomfield last Thursday. Fleming got a touch but there was too much on it. This is a useful attacking weapon in Airdrie’s armoury.

Needless red card

Nobody will need to tell Russell that he was silly to kick out at Balatoni in extra-time. Referee Barry Cook had no choice but to send him packing.

Indiscipline is costly and Airdrie can’t afford a key man to be banned.

Managers’ views

Ayr boss Ian McCall said: “We played some absolutely magnificent stuff in the first half.

“We have got to take more of our chances and I won’t say how many goals we could have scored. It could have been a right few. There was an awful lot of good play.”

Diamonds head coach Kevin McBride said:“We can’t keep losing the goals we are when the ball comes into the box as we won’t win games.”

Stats a fact

AYR: Fleming; Devlin, Balatoni*, Meggatt*, Boyle; Gilmour, Docherty; McGuffie (Donald 81), Wardrope (Cairney* 61), Forrest; Thomas (O’Connell 73). SUBS NOT USED: Hart(gk), Rose, Crawford, Murphy. AIRDRIE: Ferguson; Stewart, Boateng*, Fitzpatrick, MacDonald; McIntosh; Russell**, Conroy, Leitch (McLaughlin* 70), Scullion (Daly 63); Ryan (Leighton 119). SUBS NOT USED: Kerr(gk), Cairns, Truesdale, Gorman. REFEREE: Barry Cook. ATT: 1135. *booked **sent-off

Meanwhile, McBride has told striker Iain Russell to curb his temper after the striker was sent off at Ayr.

“You can’t lash out at somebody,”he said.“It’s a side of the game Iain knows he can’t get involved in.

“One of the frustrating things about his sending-off is that he misses the next game up at Brechin.

“That’s one of the most experienced players in the team we won’t have.”

Frustration Kevin McBride