STRIKE SEARCH
Manager McCall wants more than just Moore
Ian McCall has stepped up his search for a striker – even though Craig Moore is on the brink of a return.
Loan teenager Kevin Nisbet will soon return to Partick Thistle while Andy O’Connell’s short- term deal is up in January with the jury still out.
On- loan Motherwell ace Moore hasn’t kicked a ball since July after suffering concussion during Ayr’s Betfred Cup defeat at St Mirren in Paisley.
He took in Saturday’s 4- 4 draw against Dumbarton and will report back in midJanuary, itching to pull on his boots.
But while Moore is closing in on a return, McCall stresses that won’t halt his search for a frontman.
He said: “Hopefully, in the next two or three weeks, we will have another striker. But we won’t just be relying on Moore – we will need another one.
“Craig was at the game and that gave us a big lift but even if he comes back 100 per cent, we’ll still bring in another striker.
“We’re actually on a good run of form although our points tally doesn’t show it.
“We have lost only once in the last six league games but four of these have been draws. If we had turned some of these into wins we would be six or seven points better off and would be sitting pretty.
“The league is so tight that if you win three in a row you could get to top four.”
Looking back on the 4- 4 draw against Dumbarton, McCall admitted: “In the first half we were so poor and Dumbarton should have been ahead.
“But in the second half, Ross Docherty drove us on allowing Gary Harkins, Paul Cairney and Robbie Crawford to play some fantastic stuff.
“Dumbarton’s second goal was a fluke but Greg Fleming knows he should have done better with the third and the fourth. We should have won 4- 2.
“Our centre- backs look really good together but Peter Murphy is working hard and desperate to get back.”
Ayr are now eight league games without a win and have dropped to second bottom behind Dunfermline and Dumbarton. But they are only two points behind sixth- placed Queen of the South, who are now 12 league games without a win so will jump them with a victory.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 2pm. Bus leaves the Campbeltown Bar at 11am. Seats, £ 5, from Jamie ( tel: 07792 747 354).