Bell admits Ayr finding it tougher to hit right note
IT’S not easy being perched at the top of the table. Ayr United are not simply “Ayr United” to other teams now.
They are “Ayr United, the league leaders, so let’s get stuck into the high flying whit-do-you-callthems.” Or something like that. Fortifying that lofty position can be a tricky task as the Somerset Park men are finding out.
Saturday’s draw with Morton may have extended their lead in the Championship to five points, with their nearest rivals not in action, but having drawn their last two league games at home the march stolen could have been greater.
“It’s becoming harder to break teams down now,” conceded Steven Bell, the Ayr United defensive midfielder. “In the last couple of weeks teams have been lining up in a 3-5-2 formation and when they’ve not got the ball it’s becoming a five at the back.
“So the opposition are trying to make it harder for us which is understandable. We’re the team at the top of the league. If we were in mid-table we would probably do the same.
“Plus we’ve got [Lawrence] Shankland, [Craig] Moore and [Michael] Moffat up front who are always a threat, especially Lawrence with the amount of goals he’s scored this season. So it’s understandable teams are coming up against us now with a game plan. It’s up to us to find a better way to break them down.”
Having been reduced to 10-men on the hour, after Craig Moore’s sending off for a petulant thrash on Gregor Buchanan, Ayr were quite content with a share of the spoils particularly as Buchanan’s late header was hacked off the line by Michael Moffat.
“It’s four points dropped in one respect but another way of looking at it is that it’s another point gained and we’re now five clear at the top,” said Bell. “Ross County have got a game in hand and Dundee United have picked up massively since Robbie Neilson went in there but we just have to take the positives out of our situation: we’re still unbeaten at home and it’s another clean sheet.”
Morton, whose form continues to fluctuate, were well worth a point too. Gary Oliver had cracked the post before Buchanan’s close shave in the dying embers.
“Anything can go in this league,” said Buchanan. “If we can just get a consistency to our game then I’m sure we can get in the play-offs.”