We’ll break bank to deal in Forrest Kerr vows Ayr will shell out to keep star winger
Cowdenbeath...3 Brechin City.........2
Thomas had the Blue Brazil flying at half time.
Paul Allan and Dougie Hill then pulled Brechin level but Barr nodded in the winner in 75 minutes.
Cowdenbeath boss Gary Bol lan said: “Brechin made a big, big game of the second half so we were maybe fortunate to win it.” Queen’s Park....2 Albion Rovers......2
kick of his own and Rovers had Aron Lynas sent off late on.
Spiders manager Ray MacKinnon said: “We got a second- half reaction after a poor first half.”
Rovers gaffer Kevin Harper said: “If we got a point in every away game I’d be delighted.” Mark Kerr vowed Ayr are doing all they can to keep star man Alan Forrest at the club.
Premiership side Livingston head the chase for the in- demand winger and have tabled a pre-contract offer. But Kerr, who watched the 23-year-old turn in another top display against Inverness, says his club won’t be bullied. He said: “We know the teams that are in for Alan. He was outstanding and worked so hard. But it doesn’t concern us as teams will always come and try to take our boys. “Our board is offering more than we’ve ever offered to players who are going out of contract because we want to keep them here and they want to keep this group together.
“We’ve not given up hope of keeping him.
“We had a board meeting last week and there’s been a positive push on every front.” Forrest was brilliant as Ayr notched their first league win over Caley in 17 years. Stephen Kel ly’s second- half strike w was the difference in a game dominated by the Honest Men on Burns Night. They were on top from the start and Kel ly teed up Aaron Drinan to f ire wide in 17 minutes. The hosts were somehow denied moments later when Kelly, Ross Docherty and Forrest al l saw shot s blo ck ed in the Inverness box.
Ayr continued to press and a Kelly corner was met by Michael Moffat whose header crashed off the bar.
Steven Bell was next up to try his luck with a header that went just wide as Ayr pressed.
Jordan White had the ball in the net for Caley just before half time but his header was chalked off for a foul on keeper Ross Doohan.
Ayr began the second half with more pressure and Aaron Muirhead had a shot cleared off the line by James Vincent as they went for the opener.
But they were almost caught cold when Charlie Trafford glanced James Keatings’ corner on to the bar at the other end.
However, Ayr got their reward when Kelly challenged Trafford 25 yards out before running through to slot past Mark Ridgers.
It was no more than they deserved. Caley offered little response and it was Ayr who could have stretched their lead as the game wore on.
Drinan saw a shot deflected wide in their best chance as they comfortably saw out the game for a big three points.
Caley boss John Robertson said: “The best team won so I’ve no complaints.
“Ayr looked hungrier than us, which is concerning. They dominated the first half and we were fortunate to go in at half time at nil-nil.
“Our standards weren’t right and the goal we conceded was schoolboy stuff.”