We’re United in the hunt for title
Rose: But good start doesn’t mean anything yet
Mike Wilson at Somerset Michael Rose believes team togetherness will be Ayr’s key – but was gutted that his second headed goal in four weeks didn’t bring full points.
Rose climbed to power home an Alan Forrest corner with 15 minutes to go and spark wild scenes among the Somerset Road faithful.
That looked set to continue Ayr’s perfect home record until Queens sub Connor Murray ruined the party.
Rose admitted: “I was delighted to get the goal but disappointed at the way we lost out. But it’s a point gained so we will take the positives from it.
“All season we’ve been solid at the back, not just the back four but a team together. We’ve been keeping lots of clean sheets but obviously want more.
“It’s been a good start to the season but we haven’t really done anything yet. We just need to keep it going and win as many games as possible.”
Rose is relishing regular first team football after being freed by Aberdeen as a youngster.
He claimed: “I always knew I could play at this standard. I am still quite young and inexperienced so just need football.
“I’ve always been confident I can play at this level.
Boss Ian McCall wasn’t sore on his players despite two dropped points, the first at Somerset this season.
McCall claimed: “We thoroughly dominated the game. I’d love to see the possession stats as it must have been about 70 per cent but they’ve AYR: Doohan; Smith, Rose, Bell, Harvie; Forrest ( McGuffie 76). Murdoch, Kerr ( McDaid 81), Crawford; Moore ( Moffat 80), Shankland. Unused subs: Hare- Reid, Higgins, Ferguson, Docherty. Booked: Murdoch. QUEENS: Martin; Marshall, Fordyce, Doyle, Jacobs, Todd ( Stirling 65), Dobbie, Semple, Harkins ( Bell 90), Norman ( Murray 80), Dykes. Unused subs: Leighfield, Mercer, Frizzell, Irving. Booked: Norman.
Referee: John Beaton; Crowd: 2539.
got two or three individuals who can always hurt you.
“It’s disappointing to lose that goal but it’s the first in four games so I can’t be too hard on them.
“There was an element of fortune about it as it seemed to go through two people and hit off someone else.
“It’s still a point and we increase our lead at the top. We’ll take that and move on. And if we win next week, it turns into a good point.
“The last four teams that have played us have all sat in and it’s tough to break them down.
“But we got in areas where we should have hurt them more.”
Ayr raced out the blocks and Craig Moore twice went close in the first 10 minutes before Lawrence Shankland fired in two quick free- kicks.
The first from 25 yards was deflected wide while the second was fumbled by former Ayr keeper Alan Martin before being scrambled behind.
Martin made a superb save to keep out a vicious shot from Forrest after a corner had been returned to him.
Stephen Dobbie, the country’s top marksman with 25 goals, reminded Ayr of his threat just before the break when he rattled the inside of the post with an angled strike from 18 yards.
Dobbie again underlined his menace six minutes into the second period with a shot on the turn which Ross Doohan did well to beat away.
Rose broke the deadlock on 75 minutes when he headed home Forrest’s corner on the left.
That looked set to propel Ayr six points clear at the top but Queens blasted back. Within seconds of replacing David Norman, Murray drove home at the back post following a Callum Fordyce header in the box.