Reid pull his Ayr out at misses

Nov 14 2007 Ayrshire Post

EXASPERATED Brian Reid watched Ayr twice hit woodwork and then miss the chance of the season when Jerome Vareille blazed wide from only eight yards.

And the new boss urged his team to use their wide men more as they allowed Alloa to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games.

United looked to have recovered from the horror start of leaking a goal in only three minutes by finishing the first half well on top. But after the break, the Wasps cashed in on Ayr's ropey finishing to run out deserved winners.

Reid claimed: "We made a sloppy start and then had to chase it a bit but the way we finished the first half I thought we could go on and win the game. Then bad defending from a corner, where we usually are quite strong, allowed Alloa a free header from six yards when one of our boys lost his man.

"We need to tighten up and start games better but we are also needing to use the width of the team more. It got too congested in the middle and that's something we need to redress and work on in the coming weeks.

"I have no complaints about the artificial pitch which was the same for both teams. We prepared properly by training on a similar surface and as astroturf goes, it is a decent enough surface."

On loan Gretna winger Ryan Baldacchino, signed the day before, was given an immediate baptism while Michael Moore was dropped to the bench for the first time. And there was a surprise with Ryan Stevenson pitched from his usual midfield berth into a striking role alongside Alex Williams.

But the new look had no time to settle before Alloa charged ahead in three minutes. The hot start even caught out the stadium announcer who gave the goal to Brown Ferguson when it was Dougie Wilson who nodded in Scott Agnew's cross. Mark McGeown did well to tip the ball on to the post but it dropped over the line.

Ayrshire lad Agnew, who has been on the books of Rangers and Hamilton, was immense as a midfield busy body, directing traffic all afternoon.

Ayr had to reorganise in 21 minutes when Stephen Swift was stretchered off after taking a hefty blow and was replaced in the middle by Murray Henderson with skipper Eddie Forrest switching to right back.

Reid's men began to take a tight grip and Williams was just wide with a shot after a great pass from the speedy Baldacchino. That was a prelude to Ayr equalising in 32 minutes when Williams rose to flick home a header from a Stevenson free-kick.

However, it was Alloa who started the second half on top and McGeown made a good diving save to keep out a shot from Steven McKeown. Then an Agnew rocket looked netbound until Baldacchino nodded it away for a corner.

Alloa were clearly getting on top and in 62 minutes the powerful Scott Buist was left free to head home a Derek Fleming corner from the right.

Stevenson wasn't nearly as effective as a front man where his trademark surging runs from deep were blunted although he did hook one shot wide and then bury another into the sidenet as Ayr tried to reply.

Agnew was denied a third in 72 minutes when his shot produced a stunning low diving save from the alert McGeown. However, a quick Ayr break six minutes later should have tied the scores but Vareille, with only the keeper to beat, cracked the ball off the post.

Agnew had a rocket shot fumbled by McGeown before Ayr let the hosts off the hook with an amazing miss two minutes from time. David Lowing curled a free-kick off the bar but when the ball bounced out, Vareille smashed it wildly past when he had time for a more composed finish.

Alloa boss Allan Maitland claimed: "I know Ayr hit the bar and post while Vareille missed the rebound, but it would have been unjust on us. In the second-half, we were well worth the win although for long spells in the first, I thought Ayr were the better side. This was a pivotal game after our good run of form so a win is massive."

STAR MEN: ***Paul Weaver; **Murray Henderson; *Ryan Baldacchino.

ALLOA: Jellema; Buist, Fleming; Townsley, Forrest, McKeown; Wilson, B. Ferguson (Grant 87), Andrew (McClune 79), Agnew, Fairbairn (Hodge 90). Unused subs: Brown, Bruce.

AYR: McGeown; Swift (Henderson 21), Forrest, Robertson, Lowing; Vareille, Casey, Weaver, Baldacchino; Stevenson, Williams (Moore 71); Unused subs: Dunn, Woodburn, Caldwell.

Referee: Colin Brown.