ROBBO GIVES CHRIS OF LIFE

Apr 4 2007 Ayrshire Post

AYR UNITED'S promotion flame is still flickering...and it will ignite if they beat Brechin in a Somerset Park crunch on Saturday.

New boss Neil Watt will usher in his first home game, knowing that victory will cut the gap on the visitors to only four points with three games to go.

And that would leave Ayr in sight of the fourth play-off place and set up a nerve jangling finale that could go right to the last kick of the season.

Chris Robertson's second-half header gave Ayr a 1-0 win over Raith Rovers at Kirkcaldy on Tuesday evening and their fourth victory in five unbeaten games. And with Brechin losing at home to leaders Morton, it was a great night's work.

Ayr now sit fifth top but Watt insists the play-offs are still a long shot after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Peterhead seemed to kill their hopes.

Watt said: "We would have to keep winning while Brechin will have to go on a losing streak. I'm not saying it won't happen and I don't want to deny supporters the prospect of a play-off place.

"Teams before have come with a late flourish and there's been a collapse at the top but realistically, I'm looking at the bigger picture and moving this club forward. After all the changes of the last two or three seasons, we need a period of stability but certainly want to finish on a high."

Paul Weaver and on-loan Gretna kid Fraser McLaren, who scored the injury time equaliser at Peterhead, were drafted in at the expense of Ricky Waddle and Jerome Vareille who dropped down to the bench.

Ayr almost got a flying start with a couple of good early chances, including a Ryan Stevenson shot that flew over after Andy McLaren played him in.

However, Raith were soon pushing forward and twice the woodwork came to Ayr's rescue to deny Denis McLaughlin. In 37 minutes, he hammered the ball against the upright after a Martin Fotheringham cross was headed clear.

Then a minute before the interval, the same player clipped the outside of the junction of the bar and post from 25 yards.

McLaughlin was again Raith's main threat early in the second-half but Mark McGeown dived to his left to keep out the low shot.

Ayr were forced into a change in 67 minutes when Brian Reid took a knock and was replaced by Paul Hyslop. But only a minute later, they pounced with the only goal of the night to delight their small band of travelling fans.

Marvin Andrews needlessly conceded a corner which was swung into a crowded goalmouth and Robertson rose to head home and clinch a vital win.

Vareille was sent on for on-loan Livingston striker Paul Shields with 14 minutes to go but Ayr comfortably held on as misfiring Raith drew their third successive home blank.

Despite the late form surge which has brought 13 points from 15, Ayr's fate is still outwith their own hands. All they can do is win all their remaining games aganst Brechin (home), Stirling (home), Cowdenbeath (away) and Morton (home) and hope that Brechin or Raith collapse. It looks a tall order.

STAR MEN: ***Chris Robertson; **Andy McLaren; *Paul Weaver.

RAITH: Fahey; Wilson, Fotheringham, Andrews, Lumsden, Silvestro, McManus, Neill, Hislop, McLaughlin, Carcary (Pelosi 38). Unused subs: Kilgannon, Bonar, Currie, Mackie.

AYR: McGeown; Forrest, Reid (Hyslop 67), Robertson, Lowing; Stevenson, Casey, Weaver; Shields (Vareille 76), F. McLaren, A. McLaren. Unused subs: Pettigrew, Waddle, Johnson. Referee: John McKendrick; Crowd: 1564.

Ayr are still likely to be without crocked pair Gareth Wardlaw and Martyn Campbell for Saturday although David Dunn returns from a two game ban.

Wardlaw is still troubled with a foot injury and was withdrawn from the bench shortly before the start at Peterhead while Campbell suffered a recurrence of a thigh strain at training last Wednesday.

On loan Hibs keeper Ally Brown, who filled in for a month when McGeown was injured, has returned to Easter Road.