Ayr insist: we can still make play-offs

Jan 23 2008 Ayrshire Post

DEFIANT Ayr players insist they aren't interested in the relegation play-offs...they are still shooting a fourth top finish.

Iain Anderson and Ryan Stevenson say the impossible dream is still on and believe a gritty win over ten man Alloa is proof of the pudding.

Ando had his best game since signing at New Year while Stevo sealed the come from behind victory with a free-kick peach three minutes into stoppage time.

Wide man Anderson declared: "We are only ten points behind fourth top so there is not much in it if we can go on a wee run. We've now got Queen's Park at home and the boys played well against them at Hampden.

"If we can do it at home and get the fans behind us it could be another three points to help us on our way. I am at a stage in my career where I just want to make sure I am playing and enjoying what I am doing. Ayr have been good for me.

"When you are down there it is all about confidence but they are all good players. Gareth Wardlaw did well, held up the ball and scored a magnificent goal."

Anderson's words were echoed by Stevenson who reckons fourth top Alloa are still catchable with 15 games to go.

He fired: "There are not many points in it and we have five or six games coming up against the teams around us. You never know where we might end up if we go on a run.

"Now we must kick on and try to catch the teams above us. Alloa are fourth but I don't see them as any better than us. As players we have under achieved but there are still a lot of games left and stranger things have happened."

Ayr had a nightmare start in only two minutes when Dean Keenan swung his boot at a Ross Clark free-kick and sliced the ball into his own net past the helpless Mark McGeown.

Wardlaw slammed a shot off the bar as Ayr tried for a quick fix but they had to wait until the dying seconds of the first-half. A Stevenson cross was nodded on by first Wardlaw and then Anderson before Alex Williams headed his 14th goal of the season.

But before the interval whistle sounded there was more drama when Sandy Hodge brought down Wardlaw for a second booking and headed up the tunnel.

Then a Stevenson free-kick was forced home by Wardlaw only for ref Tony Law's whistle to curtail the celebrations.

Ayr went for the kill against their depleted visitors and Anderson headed a Williams cross against the bar. The same player then nodded over another great chance before Eddie Forrest smacked a 20 yard rocket off the paintwork.

Stevenson took the captain's armband as Craig Pettigrew replaced the injured Forrest but there was a scare when a Jamie Hay 30 yarder had to be tipped over by Mark McGeown.

The veteran goalie, who shrugged off a back problem to play after Celtic recalled loan keeper Scott Fox, was a real hero three minutes later. Sub Andy Scott seemed sure to score from point blank range but McGeown made a magnificent double save.

The nerves were eased in 80 minutes when Wardlaw turned smartly to fire Ayr ahead from the edge of the box. Victory was then rubber stamped in overtime by Stevenson's sublime finish from a free-kick.

STAR MEN: ***Gareth Wardlaw; **Ryan Stevenson; *Dean Keenan.

AYR: McGeown; Forrest (Pettigrew 68), Easton; Trialist, Henderson, Stevenson; Vareille, Keenan, Wardlaw, Williams, Anderson. Unused subs: Stewart, Dunn, Robertson, Marshall.

ALLOA: Jellema; Clark, Hodge; Townsley, Buist, McKeown; Wilson, Grant, Brown (Kerr 85), Ferguson (Scott 76), Andrew (Hay 66). Unused subs: Creer, Agnew.

Ref: Tony Law; Crowd: 966.