Doolan back in the old routine
KRIS DOOLAN said it was ‘written in the stars’ that he would score when he returned to Firhill with Ayr United after his controversial summer exit from Partick Thistle.
The former Jags hitman had been kept relatively quiet throughout the match, but only needed one opportunity to make his mark as he did 121 times in a red-and-yellow shirt.
It looked like it might not arrive as Thistle, while 2-1 up, managed to keep Ayr at bay despite being down to ten men after the sending-off of Shea Gordon. But when Stuart Bannigan was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Stephen Kelly, Ayr knew a win was there for the taking.
Momentum swung in favour of Ian McCall’s side and Doolan capitalised. When Steven Bell’s shot crashed off the woodwork, the ex-Thistle star reacted first as the ball bounced on the six-yard line and the Jags fans could only watch in horror as their former hero scored against them.
Kelly then produced a stunning strike to win the game as Ayr climbed up to second place ahead of the visit of league leaders Dundee United in two weeks.
‘Over the years it’s been written in the stars, whenever I come up against some sort of goalscoring record I step up and score at Firhill,’ said Doolan. ‘It’s strange that I had one of the goals but I’m an Ayr United player now and I’ve got to do my best for them.
‘It’s great to come back to Firhill. I have a lot of close friends here and a great connection with the crowd.
‘I don’t have to prove anything to anybody, I’ve done that. It was more about enjoying the day, to be honest. I knew I was going to have a good reception when I came back which is nice and it’s great leaving with the three points, which I felt we deserved.
‘I’m sure people doubt Ayr year in year out, especially in the Championship, but Ian McCall has a track record of doing well with lower-budget teams.
‘It looks as if he’s assembled another very good squad that will
have the play-offs as at least the aim and there is no reason why after this start we can’t keep that going. You see the gap that’s already started to appear because the Championship is so tight you can’t afford to keep slipping up. It can run away from you quickly.’
Thistle crashed to the bottom of the Championship as, for the third match in a row, they blew a first league win of the season, having led at half-time.
The result piles the pressure on manager Gary Caldwell whose side have just one point, secured against part-time Alloa Athletic.
Questions had also been asked in the build-up to kick-off as it was revealed that Bannigan had been stripped of the captaincy following last week’s defeat at Morton, with the armband being given to Sean McGinty.
‘I don’t know what’s happening at Thistle. It just didn’t look like a team that was together for me,’ admitted Doolan.
‘They’ve got to pick up points quickly because otherwise they could get caught at the bottom in a mini league.
‘I can’t speak about it because I don’t know what’s happening, but