A Gale- field nightmare
Fuming United cut short in prime
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ARBROATH............................................ 1 AYR UNITED........................................... 1 ( ABANDONED AT HALF TIME)
Stuart Wilson at Gayfield
Livid Ayr were cut short in their bid for second as their long trip to Gayfield ended in farce.
Ref Steven Kirkland called a halt to this wind- assisted game with the contest poised all square at the interval.
But United were left feeling aggrieved after playing into a storm for 45 minutes – only to see the second half wind advantage ripped from their grasp.
Frustrated boss Mark Kerr clearly felt pressure applied from the home side had done the trick ahead of a testing second period for the Lichties.
He said: “The referee’s mind was made up that he wanted it off.
“There was definitely no agreement on our part.
“We’ve defended against the wind for 45 minutes and had done a really good job.
“But the referee has ended up stepping in and saying the quality of the game was a bit of a shambles.
“However, the weather didn’t get any worse from the first ten minutes of the half until the last ten minutes.
“It will look as if we’ve come to an agreement but that didn’t happen.
“Dick ( Campbell) has wanted it off and the referee has kind of made his mind up.
“When the game was at 1- 1 Arbroath forced another four or five corners.
“I’m pretty sure if they’d scored from one of them they wouldn’t have wanted the game called off.”
Whistler Kirkland had taken two long looks prior to kick off as strong winds battered Gayfield’s notoriously exposed confines.
But he was convinced to give the game a go and Ayr managed to forge ahead when debutant Connor Malley played through Aaron Drinan to score.
It was very much against the run of play as Ayr spent the first half camped in against the gale.
And Arbroath duly levelled when
Colin Hamilton’s effort flew straight in from a corner.
That seemed to prove the final straw for ref Kirkland, who chose to pull up stumps at the break.
Lichties boss Campbell said: “Ayr will be disappointed but you can see why the decision has been made.”
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