MAKE IT COUNT
Bullen: Killie triumph will mean nothing if we don’t build on this and stay in Championship
Lee Bullen insists Ayr have achieved nothing with their derby heroics over Kilmarnock – unless they finish the job and stay up this season.
The thrilled head coach watched his side play their bitter rivals off the park during a storming second half in East Ayrshire.
Goals from James Maxwell and Paddy Reading gave the Honest Men a thrilling 2-1 comeback win after Fraser Murray’s opener.
But Bully knows the points will count for little unless United back it up in the weeks to come.
He told the Post: “It was a great night and the players rightly enjoyed the occasion. But they’re a grounded bunch and they know the task at hand.
“This is a league that is going to go all the way and it will be nip and tuck right until the finish.
“There’s not a chance of us allowing the Kilmarnock result to change our way of thinking.
“Yes, it was a big result and a big performance. But it’s all about how we use that to progress now.”
Ayr head for Inverness this Saturday – where they have not won for 19 years – but Bullen is now bidding to get United on a roll.
He said: “It will be tough but we go up there with plenty of confidence. The boys have set that benchmark now in the way they played at Killie. It’s up to us to maintain those levels and it starts at Inverness this weekend.”
Bullen admits he now has plenty of options with a squad bursting for starting slots.
Bullen said: “The competition is great and is exactly what we want.
“Tomi (Adeloye) was fantastic the other night but has had to bide his time with Sam (Ashford) coming in and doing so well.
“The same applies to lads like Daire (O’Connor) and (Ryan) Gondoh... there are boys pushing hard and it can only help the team.
“Players in possession of the jerseys are looking over their shoulders because they know others are ready to step in.”
Mikey Hewitt, who is targeting a pre-season return from his serious hamstring tear, is the only injury absentee for Saturday.
•A strong United reserve side was beaten 6-1 at Stenhousemuir on Thursday with O’Connor on target.