Sloppy United not at the races
Sanders: Home slips not good enough
AYR UNITED ........................................... 1 QUEEN’S PARK ...................................... 2
Stuart Wilson at Somerset
Jack Sanders admitted his first Ayr goal wouldn’t be remembered after United’s home horror show against the Spiders.
The Honest Men were well off it as their Somerset struggles continued with a listless defeat.
Sanders’ late header proved a mere consolation in a game that had already run away from them.
And the on loan defender confessed to holding his own hands up after a slip which led to Queen’s Park’s second goal.
He said: “Mistakes like that shouldn’t happen.
“Sometimes you can get a bit complacent at times playing out and they read it. It was disappointing.
“Ultimately my goal didn’t matter in the end.
“We just weren’t at the races.
“At the start, we were a shadow of what we can be as a team and lucky to go in at just 1-0 down.
“We came out and got a bit better but not drastically better and then, obviously, a mistake of mine which was really disappointing has affected the game. It’s a tough one to take.
“That’s four (home) wins all season which, at a big club like this, it’s not good enough.”
Callum Davidson’s side took a deserved 19th-minute lead when Ruari Paton ghosted into Ayr’s box to nod home a Louis Longridge cross.
United keeper Josh Clarke produced a point-blank save from Jack Turner as Queen’s continued to pour forward – and in truth they should have been far further ahead at the interval.
Scott Brown made a double change at the break, introducing Aiden McGeady and Scott Tomlinson as he switched to a 3-5-2 in a bid to match up against Queen’s.
And the change seemed to pay off with Ayr looking revived for a time – Anton Dowds missing a good chance with a header straight at Calum Ferrie.
But Ayr then caused their own downfall as a slack pass from Sanders saw him give the ball straight to Paton at the edge of his own box.
He turned provider as he set up Cillian Sheridan to lift a deft finish over Clarke.
Sanders sparked brief hope of a comeback when heading home Harry McHugh’s corner with 12 minutes to go but in truth Ayr never threatened again.
Match sponsors delivered the final damning verdict on United’s display by announcing Franny Amartey as man of the match after the substitute climbed off the bench for just a 16 minute cameo.
AYR UNITED: Clarke, McAllister (Tomlinson 46), Stanger, McGinty, Sanders; Bryden, Murphy, Syla, McHugh, Murphy (McGeady 46); Dowds, McKenzie (Amartey 74). QUEEN’S PARK: Ferrie,Thomson, Wilson, Robson; Longridge (Mauchin 68), Welsh, Thomas, Turner (Carse 79), Scott; Sheridan (McLeish 85), Paton.
Attendance: 2,264; Referee: Colin Steven