United heroes are now smiles better

Sep 27 2007 Ayrshire Post

DELIGHTED gaffer Neil Watt hailed his heroes after they defied the odds for a stunning win.

The Ayr team bus took almost four hours to reach Stark’s Park after being caught up in road chaos.

But despite arriving at 2.40pm with no time for a proper warm-up, the United players rolled up their sleeves and sent the league leaders spinning.

Watt said: “I thought the players were exceptional and some of the football they played was outstanding, particularly in the first-half.

“It’s a tough place to come to especially after playing 120 minutes during a midweek cup tie and then all the hassle we had of arriving late.

“The referee gave us only 35 minutes to prepare so there wasn’t an awful lot of time to think too much.

“However, we are on a good run, that’s now eight unbeaten, and confidence is high among the players.

“They are enjoying their football and that’s what you want them to do.

“There is a lot of pressure on players with this ten team league and the need to win every week so it’s nice when you can play with a smile on your face.”

Only two goals right at the death narrowed the winning margin but Watt felt they should have been well clear by then.

He said: “Raith came at us at the start of the second-half which is what you would expect and we cleared a couple off the line but at the other end we could have scored two or three.

“Gareth Wardlaw was unlucky at the back post while Alex Williams should maybe have shot across the keeper rather than trying to chip him.

“However, the fitness was great and over the piece we thoroughly deserved to win.”

Ref Steve Conroy delayed the kick-off to 3.15pm given Ayr’s late arrival but it was Raith who were left in the starting blocks.

In only 11 minutes, United raced ahead when keeper Chris Fahey spilled a Ryan Stevenson cross and Williams accepted the free gift to roll the ball home.

Eight minutes later, Ayr doubled their lead with a superb flowing move.

David Dunn swung the ball across field to Jerome Vareille who cut it back into the path of Chris Robertson.

Big Robbo, playing his second successive game in a midfield berth, took aim from 18 yards and beat the floundering keeper with ease.

Marvin Andrews had a header ruled offside but Ayr threatened again when Vareille rose to nod over from a Dunn corner.

Raith should have counted seconds before the interval when Eddie Forrest’s poor headed clearance set up Steve Hislop but he dragged his shot wide.

Predictably, Raith came out for the second-half with all guns blazing and threw towering defender Andy Tod into attack as a third striker. Barry John Corr made a superb one handed save from Craig Winter and then pushed a Tod shot for a corner.

An Andrews header was knocked off the line by Vareille while Tod shot widly wide from a Graham Weir cut-back.

But just as Raith were stepping on the gas, Ayr hit them with a killer third on the counter attack.

It was another trademark Stevenson solo effort as went on a powerful run from his own half before finishing cooly for his sixth goal of the season.

Fahey then denied Williams who was clean through before the striker chipped against the bar after sub David Hamilton played him through.

With a minute of normal time remaining, Hislop hooked the ball home on the turn to give Raith at least a scrap. But Ayr raced upfield and almost hit a fourth when Wardlaw slid in to knock the ball off the post after great link-up play by Stevenson and Dunn.

The game was in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Raith grabbed a controversial second.

Ref Conroy initially penalised Raith for hand ball in the Ayr box but then reversed his decision. He consulted his linesman after furious home players claimed it was Robertson who had handled.

Hislop rammed home the penalty with what was the last kick off the match.

Glum Raith boss John McGlynn claimed: “It was Christmas for Ayr the way they got their goals. It seems everything Ayr do gets them results but they’re an in-form team.”

STAR MEN: ***Murray Henderson; **Ryan Stevenson; *David Dunn.

RAITH: Fahey; Wilson, Pelosi; Campbell, Andrews, Tod; Davidson, Winter (Sloan 84), Hislop, Weir (Carcary 69), Silvestro. Unused subs: Dingwall, Halley, Amos.

AYR: Corr; Pettigrew, Forrest, Henderson, Swift; Vareille (Hamilton 72), Stevenson, Robertson, Dunn (Casey 90); Moore (Wardlaw 81), Williams. Unused subs: Weaver, McGeown; Booked: Vareille, Forrest.

Referee: Steve Conroy; Crowd: 1762.