Brian Reid: 'We need play-off miracle'

Apr 9 2008 Ayrshire Post

GUTTED Brian Reid claimed the last kick injury time goal which killed Ayr's promotion hopes was a sickener.

The Somerset boss admitted United now need a miracle to reach the play-offs after Derek Carcary dealt them a fatal blow right on the whistle.

But Reid was heartened by the courage of his bare bones squad who played more than half the game a man down after Murray Henderson picked up their tenth red card of the season.

Reid said: "It's a very cruel way to lose a game and I am disappointed to say the least. Going down to ten men made it difficult for ourselves and obviously we need to keep eleven on the park.

"But we showed great application and didn't look under any great threat until the last kick of the ball which was a sickening way to lose."

Henderson's red card for a last man foul on Graham Weir a minute before the break left Ayr with an uphill task.

Reid admitted: "Murray got caught underneath the ball. It was a tangling of two players which could go either way but the ref makes his decision and that's it."

Card happy whistler Steven McLean also booked seven players (five from Ayr), including that of Andy McLaren who was warming up behind the goal. That yellow came after a long confab with the standside linesman and left many perplexed.

The loss of Henderson didn't alter Reid's thinking and he bravely went with three at the back as he chased the win that was needed to keep the flame burning.

But with Ryan Stevenson having an off colour day, goal chances were rationed and it was only late on that Ayr came to life as an attacking force.

But they failed to trouble keeper Keiron Renton who was one of two Raith players who travelled to Ayr by car rather than pass on a sick bug to their team-mates.

A shining light was the performance of Martyn Campbell who gave another powerful display and underlined how important he is when fully fit. He was well backed by skipper Eddie Forrest and keeper Mark McGeown while Neil McGowan was a dependable left-back.

STAR PERFORMERS: ***Martyn Campbell; **Eddie Forrest; *Mark McGeown.

AYR - McGeown; Forrest, Henderson, Campbell, McGowan; Wardlaw, Stevenson, Weaver, Vareille (McLaren 81); McLeod, Williams. Unused subs: Stewart, Robertson, Woodburn, Pettigrew. Booked: Vareille, Weaver, McLaren, Stevenson, Wardlaw. Sent off: Henderson.

RAITH - Renton; Wilson, Campbell, Tod, Pelosi; Henderson (Carcary 82), Silvestro, Davidson, Sloan; Weir (Hislop 73), Templeton (Bryce 73). Unused subs: Amos, Winter. Booked: Henderson, Silvestro.

Referee - Steven McLean; Referee - 1212.