The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Third time lucky is Durnan aim
Defender hopes to get it right this time after near misses in play-offs
Mark Durnan wants to make it third time lucky in the play-offs after his two previous ventures both ended in heartbreak.
The powerful defender helped Dundee United to a goalless draw at Ayr which was enough to seal their top four place for the end of season shoot-out.
Now with three games to go, Durnan hopes the Tangerines can overtake second-placed Falkirk to give themselves a less demanding passage.
Durnan revealed: “I’ve been to the play-offs twice with Queen of the South and was unlucky both times.
“We went out to Falkirk in extra-time and then drew 1-1 with Rangers at Ibrox. I’ve had a wee bit of experience of the play-offs so hopefully we can finish second and then have that game less.
“Finishing second gives you the best opportunity possible to go up as six matches is really difficult.
“If we win our last three games hopefully that will be enough to finish second.”
Durnan revealed the Tannadice side are kicking themselves that they allowed a title challenge to fizzle out.
He said: “We put ourselves in a really good position at Christmas and had a really good run to go top of the league. Then we went on a bad run and it hampered it.
“The play-offs were always the aim at the start of the season but when we found ourselves top, unfortunately we couldn’t stay there.
“The club belongs in the Premiership and has a big stature and fan base. So we know how important it is to knuckle down so that come the play-offs we are really fired up and ready to go.
“A lot of boys from last year’s squad have gone and the manager has brought in a new mentality.
“It was disappointing last year but we can’t dwell on it and have to bounce back. It’s a big club so we have to take the pressure on our shoulders.”
Boss Ray McKinnon blamed poor decision-making for not taking all three
points – and second place – after Falkirk had earlier been held by St Mirren and fourth-placed Morton lost at Raith.
He claimed: “We had two or three good chances in the first half to pull the trigger and never did.
“That maybe cost us and there was some poor decision-making but I can’t fault the guys who gave everything in blustery conditions.
“The focus at the start of the season, when rebuilding the club, was to finish in the play-offs and try to give ourselves the best chance of promotion.
“We’ve achieved that and will now try and finish second in the league if we can.
“There were two good performances again from our young players Scott Allardice and Jamie Robson, so there are lots of positives.”
Ayr, who are three points adrift at the foot, came close to snatching the win that would have given their safety chances a shot in the arm,
Former Dundee skipper Gary Harkins forced a good early save from Cammy Bell and then smacked a deflected injury time free-kick off the bar.
When Alan Forrest returned the ball, Bell did well to claw it away from underneath the woodwork.
Biggest talking point of the first-half was an injury to referee Crawford Allan. He hurt his knee in a collision with Ayr’s Paul Cairney and hobbled off to be replaced by fourth official Grant Irvine.
Thomas Mikkelsen had a header flagged offside, had a shot blocked by Greg Fleming’s legs and penalty claims denied when he tangled with Peter Murphy.
Tony Andreu was only inches wide while Stewart Murdoch had a 25-yarder tipped around the post by Fleming at full stretch.
Durnan and Mikkelsen both went close near the end before Ayr’s storming finish almost won it.