Ayr make a winning start to pre-season
AYR United have made a winning start to their pre-season friendly programme as Lee Bullen’s squad gear up for their first competitive match of the new campaign this weekend.
Goals from new signing Jamie Murphy and Nick McAllister completed a 2-0 win over Stranraer at Dam Park on Saturday – days after Murphy and new signing Olly Pendlebury found the net in a 2-1 victory over St Mirren behind closed doors at the Paisley side’s training complex last Wednesday.
Next up for the Honest Men is a trip to K Park to face East Kilbride tonight at 7.30pm – before the serious stuff starts in the form of Ayr’s first Viaplay League Cup group fixture against Stirling Albion on Saturday.
The Forthbank clash will be the first time the two sides have met since the 2014-15 league campaign, when both were in League One and when Ayr finished third from bottom while Albion were relegated.
Both sides have high hopes of building on a positive 2022-23 campaign, with Stirling having surged to the League Two title after a run of 19 matches unbeaten.
Kick-off at Forthbank on Saturday is at 3pm.
Meanwhile, Ayr’s supporters are being reminded that the team’s first home match in the League Cup group phase will take place at Townhead Park due to ongoing work on the Somerset Park playing surface.
Cumnock Juniors’ home ground will host Ayr’s group match against Stenhousemuir next
Tuesday, July 18, with kick-off at 7.45pm.
Ayr’s remaining group stage ties are against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park (July 25, KO 7.45pm) and Alloa at Somerset (July 29, KO 3pm). In between the Stenny and St Johnstone fixtures, Bullen takes his men up the coast on July 22 for a friendly match against Troon to honour Dean Keenan’s 11 years with the Seasiders, first as player and then as assistant manager.
Kick-off at Portland Park next Saturday is at 3pm.