Ayr United boss - we can do better than this

Aug 8 2008

Ayr United 0 Raith Rovers 0

BRIAN Reid branded Ayr's opening day draw a non event but insisted there were plenty of positives.

Goalless stalemate in the sun at least put a point on the board but gaffer Reid believes there is better to come once the team starts clicking.

Alex Williams blew an early chance and then had a goal disallowed while goalie Stephen Grindlay had only a couple of serious saves to snuff out Raith's lukewarm attack.

Reid admitted: "I know we can play a lot better in the creative side of things. Last week, we created about 12 good chances but today it was only one or two so we went from one extreme to the next.

"However, the defence was solid and Raith never looked like scoring against us. I'm not too worried about it because we have players who can score goals. It was just a case of two decent teams cancelling each other out.

"We started well and wee Eck had two good chances but then the game passed by for long spells and became a non event."

The early action suggested a treat was in store but sadly it was to prove a false dawn. In only three minutes, a clever lay-off from Bryan Prunty sent Williams racing clear but he ended his sprint towards goal by clipping the ball past with only keeper David McGurn to beat.

A minute later, it was Raith on the attack and when on-loan Dundee United youngster Kevin Smith brought the ball down and aimed for the top corner, Grindlay reacted with a super tip away save.

Play immediately went to the other end when Williams fired home a Ryan Borris cross and then dashed to the Somerset Road fans to celebrate. But his joy was caught short by the standside linesman's raised flag.

Dean Keenan fired over from 25 yards and Ryan Stevenson had a low 30 yard free-kick held by McGurn. But Raith were quick to respond with Graham Weir picking up a Craig Wilson throw and lashing the ball wide. Then an Iain Davidson close-in shot was blocked by Grindlay.

The pace dropped in the second-half and the feeling grew by the minute that the deadlock would never be broken. And so it proved with referee Stephen Finnie bringing welcome relief when he blew for full-time.

Raith boss John McGlynn claimed: "I'm reasonably happy as Ayr is a difficult place to come, more so this season. With the exception of the first few minutes we looked reasonably assured at the back. I'm sure we will look back on it as a really good point."

STAR MEN: ***Martyn Campbell; **Scott Walker; *Ryan Borris.

AYR: Grindlay; Dempsie, Campbell, Walker, Easton; Borris, Keenan, Aitken, Stevenson; Williams (Gormley 68), Prunty. Unused subs: Stewart, Henderson, Weaver, McGowan. Booked: Keenan, Easton.

RAITH: McGurn; Wilson, Campbell, Ellis, Cook; Sloan, Davidson, Walker, Ferry (Dunbar 73); Weir, Smith (Graham 83). Unused subs: O'Connor, Silvestro, Wedderburn. Booked: Ellis, Smith.

Referee: Stephen Finnie; Crowd: 1391.