Ayr United get set to turn up title heat

Jan 30 2009 by Mike Wilson

Prunty boost as striker signs contract extension

BOSS Brian Reid has urged Ayr United to take the title race by the horns and send leaders Raith packing at Somerset on Saturday.

And he has vowed to hold on to his top stars as the transfer window prepares to slam shut at 5pm on Monday.

A 19-year-old central defender from Blackpool, one of Reid’s former clubs, is training with a view to a loan move.

Reid also says Sunday goal hero Ryan Stevenson is going nowhere at present but admits one or two fringe players could move if clubs come in for them.

Fifteen goal striker Bryan Prunty has signed a year’s extension to May 2010. He said: “The club is going in the right direction and I thank the fans who are right behind me.”

But Prunty is almost certainly out for Saturday after bursting an abscess in his groin during the 3-1 cup defeat by Kilmarnock. He needed surgery and spent a day in hospital.

Victory over Raith would take Ayr to within two points of them with games in hand against Stranraer (away) and Queen’s Park (home).

Reid said: “Saturday is a huge game but it’s not a title decider as there will be many twists and turns to come. Victory would give us a psychological boost and if we won our two outstanding fixtures, we would be four points clear. But I’m also looking to gain breathing space on the teams below us.

“We’re going into Saturday confident because we are unbeaten at home. We had huge crowds for the cup ties against Kilmarnock and it would be nice if we could get some of them along for the league run-in.

“The cup ties were nice but the league has always been our number one priority.”

Martyn Campbell, who came off at half-time with a thigh strain in the 2-1 win over Arbroath, should hopefully be OK while key man Dean Keenan returns from a two game league ban.

On the transfer front, Ayr are being linked with long serving Queen of the South defender Andy Aitken, who played with Reid at Palmerston.

Dundee youngster Eddie Mearns impressed in a bounce game against Morton but signing a central midfielder is not the priority at present.

Dumfries boss Gordon Chisholm was in the Somerset stand on Sunday, fuelling talk of interest in Stevenson. But Reid rapped: “Ryan won’t be going anywhere as he is too big a player for us. He is enjoying his football here and while his time will come, it’s not now.

“I am not interested in letting any of my good players go and I thought Stevo showed great energy against Arbroath, capped off by scoring the winning goal.”

Looking back at the painful Rugby Park replay defeat, Reid admitted: “We were so close, yet so far.

“I’m proud of the boys but disappointed we couldn’t give our fans the victory we craved even though for long spells we gave Kilmarnock a fright.”