STOP OUR SOMERSET SLUMP
Wretched home form has McCall baffled — but now he wants rotten run to end
It’s one of the biggest mysteries ever — and Ian McCall wishes he had the answer.
Ayr are unbeaten in their last eight away league games, a run stretching back to October 29.
In contrast, their home form is rank rotten — they have lost seven of their last nine league matches at Somerset Park.
The ground that used to be a fortress is now their biggest enemy in the battle for Championship survival.
Never has the need been greater to end that wretched run when Dumbarton visit on Saturday.
A win will take Ayr level on points with eighth- placed Sons and they’ll have a game in hand.
And with bottom team St Mirren on IRN- BRU Cup Final duty, United have the chance to open a four point gap at the foot.
McCall admits: “If our home form was as good as our results away, we would be sitting in a play- off position.
“Our home form has been our Achilles heel and it certainly wasn’t last year so it feels a bit strange. I can’t put my finger on it.
“Statistics can sometimes be misconstrued. We should have comfortably beaten Dundee United at home.
“We were ahead against Dumbarton on Christmas Eve when Greg Fleming made his only two mistakes as goalkeeper of Ayr United.
“Saturday is a big game for both clubs, so hopefully we can get a big Somerset Road crowd behind us and go for it.
“We have got to try and play a bit more expansive at home. We have the players who can do that but it does leave us a bit more open at times.”
McCall has called for the players to show the same desire, effort and commitment that earned them a 1- 0 win at Dunfermline.
But he had only eight players on the training ground on Tuesday evening as illness and injuries kicked in.
Nicky Devlin, Peter Murphy, Robbie Crawford, Declan McDaid, Paul Cairney, Farid El Alagui, Jamie Adams and Conrad Balatoni all sat it out.
McCall said: “It sounds dramatic — but there may be only two or three out for Saturday.
“Nicky was unwell at the weekend but will train on Thursday along with, hopefully, Murphy, Crawford, Cairney, El Alagui, Adams, Balatoni and Docherty.
“McDaid took a kick on his same injured ankle against Falkirk, while Cairney thinks he will be ready to resume.”