Kerr backs young guns to carry Ayr through
THERE will be no danger of over-indulgence on the part of Mark Kerr, the Ayr United manager, as he celebrates his 38th birthday today. Instead of booze and cake, there was a windy session as the Somerset Park side continue their quiet push for a play-off place. Ayr moved into third place in the Championship on Saturday with a win over Alloa but, with games coming thick and fast now, Kerr has a decision to make on whether he can handle the pace. His side host league leaders Dundee United tomorrow, with the current schedule a reminder of the number of candles on yesterday’s cake. ‘It is murder for me!’ joked Kerr. ‘We have enough young boys in there who can carry me through it. It is hard. If you are young and fit and not carrying niggles, then it’s fine. ‘I always felt, when I was younger and at my best, that the momentum of the Saturday-Tuesday schedule was great and you felt stronger for it. It will come and go really quickly, so we need to be on it.’ United lost to Dunfermline on Saturday, with the anticipation being that they will be looking for a return to winning ways in Ayrshire. Robbie Neilson’s side are so far in front that the defeat offers barely a dent as they move towards the Championship title but Ayr have quietly put themselves into the mix for a play-off spot. ‘We were back in doing a Sunday shift,’ said Kerr. ‘The boys are up for it and they know what we are trying to do. The more we are in together, the more success we will have.’ The win against Alloa came courtesy of an early goal from Aaron Drinan after Wasps keeper Kieran Wright had fumbled the ball to allow the striker to nick in and backheel it into the net from six yards. Peter Grant’s side pushed for a leveller in the second period but an excellent Alan Forrest goal just eight minutes from time killed off their resistance. Grant’s side are four points better off than bottom-of-thetable Partick Thistle but Ian McCall’s side have two games in hand.