Canning under fire from get-go as top-tier men slump to defeat

IT might only be the first day of the season but Martin Canning, the Hamilton manager, faced calls to be sacked as his team slumped to a sorry defeat at Somerset Park.

Woeful Accies managed only a Louis Longridge strike deep in stoppage time after Ayr had forged ahead with goals from Alan Forrest and Robbie Crawford.

Even this early, Accies look a team with big problems but Canning urged the supporters to get behind them.

Canning said: “I would ask them to be patient and stay behind the team.

“I know there is frustration but to maintain our Premier League status last season was the most important thing.

“It’s a difficult league and a difficult job to continually punch above your weight.”

Accies gave a debut to keeper Remi Matthews who only signed yesterday on a season-long loan from Norwich City.

But inside two minutes he was picking the ball out of the net after Ayr took the lead with a Forrest penalty.

Daryll Meggatt was bundled to the ground by Darian Mackinnon who was booked for his troubles.

Up stepped Forrest to calmly wrongfoot Matthews from the spot.

Accies were visibly wounded and they hit back with a succession of corners.

But home keeper Greg Fleming answered all questions asked of him.

Hamilton had the lion’s share of possession but Ayr were content to sit tight and try to hit on the break.

They almost had the tactic pay off after 31 minutes when Forrest raced clear down the right only for Matthews to block his shot at the expense of a corner.

Crawford and Imrie worked a free-kick well at the edge of the box but Fleming got down well to save Imrie’s scuffed low shot without too much trouble.

Ayr doubled their lead four minutes into the second period with a stunning strike from Crawford who cut inside and curled home from 20 yards.

Hamilton’s woes mounted when Garcia Tena was stretchered off.

Ayr almost grabbed a third on the break when Forrest race clear on a Devlin pass but was crowded out.

When Longridge got back in injury time with a shot from the edge of the box it came too late to matter.

Ayr boss Ian McCall said: “To give their manager who kept them in the league such abuse is outrageous.”