ROUGH DIAMONDS CUT DOWN TO SIZE

Oct 10 2007 Ayrshire Post

NEIL WATT hailed leg weary Ayr for grinding out a point but claimed it could have been a win after they blew two late chances.

Sub David Hamilton blazed over after his first effort was blocked and then deep in stoppage time, Michael Moore sent a drive whistling wide.

Airdrie United would have claimed they were mugged if either had gone in but boss Watt felt Ayr dealt comfortably with anything the home side offered.

This was low key fare on the park but not so off it where the final whistle sounded with 11 police and a wall of stewards facing Ayr's noisy travelling support. Feelings were running high after the former Airdrie's last game at Ayr five years ago was abandoned when visiting fans broke the crossbar at Somerset's railway end.

But the extra hype from the sidelines didn't lift the match and it was sub standard offering which was grossly overpriced at £15 a head.

Watt claimed: "We have played a lot of football for a part-time club against full-timers and it definitely takes its toll. I felt we were lethargic against Peterhead and put it down to playing lots in a short space of time and my one concern was that we wouldn't have anything left in the legs.

"However, the players left nothing behind and gave every ounce of effort but just lacked a cutting edge. Overall I am delighted with the application and it seems strange we haven't won a game in the last week. I think it's been a good week to put on a show at Dunfermline and to battle for a point here.

"We weren't without our chances and late on Hamilton could maybe have squared it while Moore also had a shot that went close near the end."

Chances were at a premium early on with Ayr all too often lumping wasteful high balls in the direction of Alex Williams. When they kept it on the floor, Ryan Stevenson ran on to a David Dunn pass but shot over while Moore had an overhead kick saved.

Airdrie stepped on the gas after the break and there was a scare when Barry John Corr fumbled a shot from Bryan Prunty round the post while Allan Russell had a netbound drive blocked by Chris Robertson.

Sub Gareth Wardlaw was on the park only a minute when he almost conjured up the winner. A quick dash and pass set up Hamilton but his shot was parried by keeper Stephen Robertson. Hamilton got a second chance with the loose ball but cracked it over to let the home side off the hook.

Ayr almost nicked it two minutes into stoppage time when Stevenson fed Moore for a pot at goal but his well struck shot flashed just wide.

STAR MEN: ***Murray Henderson; **Eddie Forrest; *Ryan Stevenson.

AIRDRIE: Robertson; McKenna, Lovering; Smith, Sharp, McDonald; McKeown, Prunty, Russell, Holmes, Waddell (McDougall 68). Unused subs: Donnelly, Gillies, Watt, Hollis; Booked: McKenna, Lovering, McKeown.

AYR: Corr; Swift, Forrest, Henderson, Lowing; Vareille (Hamilton 58), Robertson, Stevenson, Dunn (Casey 76); Moore, Williams (Wardlaw 80). Unused subs: Pettigrew, McGeown; Booked: Swift, Lowing, Moore.

Referee: Eddie Smith; Crowd: 1269.