Ayr United striker vows to be back on song

Sep 5 2008

Prunty: I’ll be back on song after hols!

Ayr United 2 Queens Park 1

BRYAN PRUNTY is cursing the free weekend that will put his hot scoring run on hold.

The striker's sixth goal in four games — and his second successive double — has Ayr flying high without setting the heather alight.

But Prunty pledges to resume business when Ayr make the trip to Stranraer a week on Saturday.

He said: "I've never had a better start to a season but now the break for the internationals has come a bit too soon for us. But we'll regroup after that and hopefully kick on from there.

"It's gone a lot better for me than I expected but I'm seeing the benefits of playing week in, week out. I'm just glad to be holding down a regular spot.

"Playing every game alongside Alex Williams has helped and we've clicked right away."

Ayr boss Brian Reid apologised for the bizarre incident which saw him sent to the stand after appearing to push away Queens scorer Tony Quinn who slid into the dugout.

Reid said: "There wasn't anything aggressive on my part. I was just trying to protect myself as he's a big lad and I thought I was going to get decapitated. I’ve explained it to the ref and I don't think there is anything in it."

Full-backs Willie Easton and Allan Dempsie supplied the crosses that allowed Prunty to head two picture goals inside the first 26 minutes.

But Ayr then sat back and Quinn nodded home a Barry Douglas corner that was flicked on. The ball squeezed over the line between Ryan Borris and the post.

That put the game back in the melting pot but sub David Gormley twice went close to a killer third. However, it was left to Stephen Grindlay to rescue the win with a great diving parry late on from sub David Murray.

STAR MEN: ***Bryan Prunty; **Scott Walker; *Dean Keenan.

AYR: Grindlay; Dempsie, Walker, Campbell (McGowan 64), Easton; Borris (Agnew 78), Aitken, Keenan, Stevenson; Prunty, Williams (Gormley 71). Unused subs: Stewart, Weaver.

QUEEN’S PARK: Crawford; Ure, Douglas, Agostini (Boslem 77), Brough, Quinn, Dunn (Holmes 46), Cairney, Coakley (Murray 46), Neill, Dunlop. Unused subs: Cowie, Harkins.

Referee: Crawford Allan; Crowd: 1426.