Tam McManus goal helps Ayr United beat Dunfermline

Feb 26 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

TAM McMANUS used his shin pad to grab his second goal in three games and then insisted Ayr United are on the climb.

Wandering Tam, who came to Ayr after playing in America and Ireland, dumped one of his old teams with a 37th minute winner.

But McManus was quick to praise debut wide man Rocky Visconte who set up the goal with a searing run that left two defenders for dead.

Tam revealed: "Rocky did great in the build-up, then cut inside. I managed to get a flick on it with my shin pad. I don't know what's happened after that but it's in the net and I'm delighted.

"Dunfermline are a good side and we clung on at times but towards the end when it opened up, we could have finished it a few times. It's a great three points for us.

"I scored on my debut at Dundee so it's going alright for me but the most important thing is to get wins.

"We were disappointed how we played in midweek after getting a man sent off early on but we came here, got in their faces and ground out a 1-0 win.

"I haven't played a lot of football after coming back from Derry where my last game was in November. After getting my legs back a wee bit, the goals are coming for me just now and hopefully it will continue."

The East End Park triumph was only Ayr's third win of the season and two of them have been against the hapless Pars.

Boss Brian Reid, himself a former Dunfermline player, quipped: "I wish we could play them every week.

"But seriously, Dunfermline are one of the form teams in the division so to come away with a clean sheet and three points is superb.

"We changed the system a bit and brought in some new faces. Credit to everyone for working so hard. We are going to need the full squad to get us to where we want to be."

Reid switched Ryan McGowan from right back into central midfield and it proved a master ploy as his strength and skill gave Ayr a real presence in the boiler room.

Chris Mitchell took his place in defence before retiring early with an ankle knock while Stephen Grindlay, starting only his third league game of the season, put up the shutters.

Visconte, making his first appearance since his loan move from Hearts, took only 27 seconds to show his threat when he danced down the left and threw over a cross straight into the arms of goalie Greg Fleming.

Pars demonstrated their menace when the tricky David Graham beat Martyn Campbell as he dragged the ball across the box but his 14 yard shot flew wide.

Then the same player sent an overhead kick over after former Kilmarnock winger Willie Gibson headed the ball down.

McGowan showed his strength with a crunching challenge on Alex Burke before the Ayr defence fell asleep in 25 minutes.

Joe Cardle found himself in the clear after a Gibson corner but fortunately for United, the busy Steve Bowey was there to block.

Grindlay punched clear a cross from Cardle before Ayr silenced the home fans eight minutes from the interval.

Visconte rolled back the years to Jim Cowell as his best as he left twodefenders for dead in a marauding run down the left. His low cross into the box was food and drink for the predator McManus who prodded it home from close range.

Pars began the second-half with one time Ayr trialist Ross Campbell making his debut as a replacement for Gibson.

And they quickly underlined their threat when Graham cracked a low and hard shot off the post.

Dean Keenan replaced Mitchell in 51 minutes and was quickly booked for his pains.

Player-boss Jim McIntyre replaced Nicky Phinn for the hosts but it was Ayr who should have killed the contest in 67 minutes. Mark Roberts sent Bowey clean through on goal but the golden oldie shot against Fleming's body to let a real chance go abegging.

Keenan tried to bore his way through the middle as Ayr enjoyed a good spell of pressure with Visconte a handful every time he was on the ball.

Ayr's two Aussies combined in 72 minutes when McGowan set upVisconte who smashed the ball off the stanchion.

There was a scare a minute later when Cardle went down in the box after a challenge by Willie Easton but the Pars man earned a booking for his troubles.

Grindlay came to Ayr's rescue with a great interception to prevent a McIntyre header from reaching the lurking Cardle.

With ten minutes to go, Ayr made a double switch, sending on Danny McKay and Kenny Connolly for McManus and Easton.

On loan Killie kid McKay made an instant impression, threading through a great ball for McGowan but he miskicked in great position.

The powerful McKay had a run and shot saved before chipping the ball past after the ref's whistle had sounded. That earned him a booking for time wasting.

The final whistle heralded scenes of jubilation in the stand as Ayr's small band of noisy followers hailed the win that pushes them four points clear of bottom dogs Airdrie with a game still in hand.

STAR MEN: ***Andy Aitken; **Ryan McGowan; *Rocky Visconte.

DUNFERMLINE - Fleming; Ross (Woods 80), McCann, Bell, McGregor, Dowie, Gibson (Campbell 46), Phinn (McIntyre 62), Graham, Burke, Cardle. Unused subs: Mason, Paterson. Booked: Cardle.

AYR - Grindlay; Mitchell (Keenan 51), Aitken, Campbell, Easton (Connolly 80); Mendes, Bowey, McGowan, Visconte; McManus (McKay 80), Roberts. Unused subs: Woodburn, McKay. Booked: Keenan, McKay.

Referee - Calum Murray; Crowd - 2429.