Goal daddy loves his Gaz and Ayr

Aug 1 2007 Ayrshire Post

GOAL heroes Gareth Wardlaw and Ryan Stevenson gunned down Gretna and then pledged to give Ayr a season to remember.

New dad Gaz capped a great week with the winner while Stevenson wants to bag double figures after being told to attack more.

Wardlaw, whose partner Ashley gave birth to Rebecca last Monday, quipped: "It's great to be back sleeping again. I was there for the birth and got cursed a few times but the gas and air was good.

"Scoring the winner tops a marvellous week but I really want to lose my super sub tag. Last season wasn't my best and I want to get back to the form of the season before that when I scored 14 goals."

Stevenson sent Ayr on the way with a superbly taken equaliser after Kenny Deuchar's fluke opener gave unconvincing Gretna an early lead.

But despite the goal, he claimed he didn't play well and was bitterly disappointed with his performance.

Stevenson said: "In the first-half, I really wasn't in it but was lucky enough to get the goal which gave me a bit of confidence. I thought initially it had hit the post and was coming back out but we deserved the goal.

"With the likes of Mark Casey, Craig Higgins and David Dunn sitting in, it gives me a licence to go and work off Michael Moore and Gareth Wardlaw which I feel is one of my strengths. Scoring is a big part of my game and the manager has emphasised he wants me to go and join in more which I'm quite happy to do — it saves me going back!"

Stevenson's best season saw him score seven goals at St Johnstone but reckons double figures would be a fair haul at Ayr.

He said: "With the chances myself and the boys create, I feel I should be scoring more. I'm going to set myself a higher standard this year — I would like to think double figures anyway."

Boss Neil Watt played down the significance of the score although he admitted it should be a confidence booster to beat an SPL side.

He said: "In the first-half, Gretna played a system which didn't allow ourselves to work the ball out at the back. We had to play it long to Michael Moore but it worked. However, in the second-half, we passed the ball very well.

"We've had a good pre-season and tried more things than I intended. I've had a right good look at the squad and feel we are more or less ready for the start."

Gretna were gifted the lead after 10 minutes when Murray Henderson's attempted clearance flew off Deuchar and bounced into the empty net.

Ayr should have pegged level four minutes before the break when they won a penalty after skipper Chris Innes fouled Stevenson but for the second week in a row, Andy McLaren skied the spot-kick high over.

The equaliser was delayed only until 55 minutes when Moore's clever header was chested down and hammered home by Stevenson for a magnificent goal.

Both teams then hit woodwork — Brendan McGill and Moore seeing efforts fly back off the bar as play raged from end to end.

Wardlaw became the hero of Somerset in 65 minutes when he beat keeper David Mathieson to Mark McGeown's huge clearance and stabbed the ball into the unguarded goal.

Deuchar headed against the post as Gretna hit back but Ayr held on for a morale boosting scalp.

Gretna boss Davie Irons, a former United player, said: "I thought Ayr, as always under Neil Watt and Stuart Millar, were well organised. I have lots of respect for both of them as their record in the lower leagues of Scottish football is superb. I hope they have a successful season."

AYR: McGeown; Swift, Forrest (Robertson 83), Henderson, Lowing (Pettigrew 83); Hamilton, Higgins (Dunn 46), Stevenson (Casey 86), McLaren (Weaver 86); Moore (Vareille 75), Williams (Wardlaw 46).

GRETNA: Mathieson; Cowan, Hogg; Jenkins, Canning (Trialist 46, Trialist 72), Innes; McGill, McGuffie, Deuchar, Graham, Osman.

Referee: John McKendrick; Crowd: 680.