Ayr stumble on big night
New boss left “frustrated” at defeat
Friday night against Dundee was pretty turgid stuff.
But Mark Kerr and new assistant Mick McArdle saw fit to re- watch the action twice.
Then it was straight to Cappielow as they took in Morton’s win over Inverness on Saturday.
These guys are going to bring a new culture to the club off the pitch.
And while Rome wasn’t built in a day, their work ethic will hopefully translate from top to bottom.
Their appointment is going to take the club in a different direction and I for one look forward to seeing the results.
With Christmas screaming into view, it’s high time to start boosting the yuletide stockings.
I’ve teed up the tipsters to start delivering results - so let’s get cracking.
Coffee laird Nino Pajovic has drummed up a customary treble which he insists will have followers in clover. Take Carlisle, Fulham and Plymouth. Bookie Dave goes in- form Hideki Matsuyama to win golf’s HSBC Championship ( 16/ 1).
VoR says Edinburgh City ( 21/ 20). AYR UNITED........................................... 1 DUNDEE................................................. 2
Stuart Wilson at Somerset Park
It was a performance that typified the last month at Somerset Park.
Starting with much promise but, in the end, surrounded by uncertainty.
And for new boss in boots Mark Kerr, more questions than answers came out of Friday night’s lacklustre defeat against Dundee.
The attractive passing play and sweet one touch football was on display in the opening 20 minutes.
But when Ayr failed to fashion the breakthrough their early pressure deserved, it was the visitors who took an all too comfortable grip on the game to earn their first win on the road this season.
Kerr, for his part, cut a frustrated figure on the touchline. Restricted to a dugout role while his thigh injury heals.
“You’re shouting instructions as you can see something happening and you’re 50- yards away and the boys are ten yards away and they don’t see the picture.
“So that was frustrating,” he admitted. “And at times in the second half we were just bombing it forward, which is not like us.
“But we still had chances.
“And when we were winning last year in the big games we always took those chances and were clinical.”
The new boss and his assistant manager, Michael McArdle, had only two training sessions prior to this game to get across their early point.
So little to nothing can be read into this performance.
But what is clear is that Ayr miss the calm assurance of Kerr in the middle
HOMEWORK CLUB
AYR: Doohan, Houston, Muirhead, Roscoe, Harvie; Geggan ( Moore 49,) Docherty, Kelly; McCowan ( Doolan 88), Moffat, Forrest ( McGuffie 85). Unused: Ecrepont, McKenzie, Hare- Reid.
DUNDEE: Hazard, Kerr, Forster, McGhee, Marshall; McDaid, Dorrans, Byrne, McGowan ( Todd 87), Hemmings ( Johnson 83), Nelson ( Mackie 77). Unused: Meekings, Ferrie, McPake, Robertson.
of the park.
And moving forward, be it short or long term, that could be one of his biggest problems to solve.
That said, they had their chances here to convert early dominance to a lead.
But when Michael Moffat fluffed a one on one with Conor Hazard, fears grew that it may tell.
Sure enough, former Ayr man Declan McDaid returned to play the role of pantomime villain and revelled in the role in front of the Somerset Road End.
He lashed the Dark Blues ahead with a fizzing drive from 25 yards - and duly enjoyed his moment in front of those who’d barracked him.
When Dundee skipper Paul McGowan mopped up a rebound to double the lead, Ayr were suddenly staring down the barrel.
Luke McCowan gave hope with a close range header before half time but it failed to spark the anticipated siege after the break.
McDaid said: “I was buzzing to score. “I’d heard a few comments from the side just before the goal so thought I’d enjoy the moment for what it was.
“Hopefully we can go on a run now.”
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