Captain Docherty confident Ayr can build on being best group-stage performers

Ross Docherty believes being the outstanding team among the 40 Betfred Cup groupstage participants can stand Ayr United in good stead for their League 1 promotion bid.

Ian Mccall’s team secured seeding status for yesterday’s second-round draw by completing their four games with a 100 per cent record and a whopping 15 goals to top their section ahead of local rivals Kilmarnock.

Docherty is hoping they can build on their early-season buzz as they attempt to get back into the second tier following relegation last term.

“It’s huge for our confidence to be the best-performing team in the group stage,” said the captain. “It helps that we started well against Kilmarnock. Beating our local rivals who are two leagues above us gave us a lot of confidence and the boys have been on a high ever since.

“I think that kickstarted us because everybody in the town and around the club has been in positive mood. It’s important that we take the feelgood factor into the league campaign. We’ve got a hard starter at Albion Rovers, but if we keep playing the way we’re playing, we’ll fancy ourselves against anybody.”

Docherty believes the addition of experienced players like Michael Moffat, Andy Geggan, Chris Higgins and Craig Reid has been a crucial factor in their scintillating start to the campaign and is confident they can win promotion.

“The boys we’ve brought in are great pros who could still be playing in the league above and we’ve also kept the best of the boys from last season,” he said.

“I’d say we’ve got a better team than we had last season. Everybody’s working hard together, which is half the battle. We know that last season wasn’t good enough, so to get straight back up and prove we can play in the Championship is a big motivation for us.”

Docherty sparked the ruthless demolition of League 2 side Annan, with further goals from Craig Mcguffie, Moffat, Craig Moore, Geggan and Declan Mcdaid.

Ryan Sinnamon hit back for the new-look hosts, who are still finding their feet under recently-appointed player/ manager Peter Murphy.

“We didn’t play well against Ayr, but we’ve played well against the other teams in the group,” said Murphy. “It’s disappointing that it came the week before our league campaign starts, but hopefully the boys take it as a wake-up call.”