Give our defence the credit, says 26-goal Shanks
Hot shot Lawrence Shankland reckons Ayr United proved their title credentials by demolishing Dundee United.
The Honest Men hitman bagged four goals on Friday – taking his total for the season to an incredible 26 – as the Tangerines were stuffed 5-0 on their own patch.
The result saw Ayr go six points clear of United at the top of the Championship.
For Shankland, it was a night that showed Ian McCall’s side are mounting a promotion push on merit, not luck.
“It was an enjoyable night and a great result,” he said.
“Not many teams go to Tannadice and win by five goals – it’s kind of unheard of, to be honest.
“That result shows what we have as a team.
“People are maybe thinking we’re fluking our way up there, but when you’re this far into the season and you’re still up the top it means you’re not a bad side.
“We’ve got a good defence, keeping clean sheets more often than not, and we know we’ve got good players in the forward areas who can score goals.
“If we can keep that going, we’ll win more games than we don’t.”
Shankland’s incredible scoring run means he is grabbing more headlines than any of his team-mates.
But the 23-year-old knows the plaudits would count for nothing without the efforts of the guys at the other end of the park.
“I think the defence is overlooked,” he said.
“Every week we know they can keep a clean sheet and if we can nick a goal it gives us the chance to win.
“That has been vitally important for us.
“So I think the defence deserves more credit than it gets.
“With the attacking players we have, the press jump on that, but the defence has been brilliant for us – they have all been excellent.”
With his Ayr contract up at the end of the season, Shankland is sure to be in-demand when the January transfer window opens.
But the humble star has no intention of letting transfer speculation go to his head.
“Whatever happens in January is up to the club,” he said.
Meanwhile, gutted Dundee United captain Fraser Fyvie admits that he saw a different side to new gaffer Robbie Neilson after Friday night’s shambolic defeat.
“He said his bit,” said Fyvie.
“But obviously, as players, you know within yourselves when you’re nowhere near it.
“We were miles off it. “They were better than us all over the pitch – from one to 11.
“We’re going to get a lot of flak this week; we know that, and we deserve it for how we performed on Friday.
“It does hurt when you get a defeat like that, especially in front of your own supporters.”