Ayr United must recharge their batteries says Brian Reid

Mar 19 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

BRIAN REID urged Ayr to recharge their batteries and return to winning ways after an injury time stunner robbed them of a third victory on the spin.

Paul Keegan's 95th minute equaliser was a dagger to the heart after on-loan Killie teenager Danny McKay had fired Ayr ahead in the first minute of stoppage time.

Boss Reid claimed: "We looked lethargic, flat and never played anywhere as near the level of late. Even when Airdrie went down to ten men their energy levels were far greater than ours. They looked up for it and we let ourselves down.

"We had a great travelling support with us and I'm sorry that we couldn't give them the three points.

"We took the wrong options all over the park. Maybe our hectic schedule caught up with us but we've lots of midweek games coming up and have to bounce back."

Ayr were unchanged from the team that beat Partick 1-0 last Wednesday. But they had a let-off after only four minutes when former Honest Man Ricky Waddell cracked a 25 yarder off the bar.

United should have been handed a big advantage after 34 minutes when Airdrie's John Baird was sent off for an off the ball clash with skipper Andy Aitken.

Dean Keenan and Steve Bowey were denied by good saves early in the second-half as Ayr tried to make their extra man count.

The game really burst to life in the closing 20 minutes as both teams went for it. Sub Junior Mendes forced a great save from Stephen Robertson before Ayr seemed to have bagged the winner.

Ice cool McKay deftly slammed a low 18 yarder into the bottom corner in the 91st minute to send their fans into raptures.

But ref Anthony Law controversially kept the clock ticking. And Ayr were rocked at the death when Craig Samson failed to cut out a Scott McLaughlin free-kick and sub Keegan headed the ball high into the net.

Reid sighed: "It was a soft free-kick but we have to be more streetwise and learn that the game has turned into a non contact sport. It was a good ball into the box and we didn't deal with it.

“However, I don’t know where the five minutes of injury time came from.”

STAR MEN: ***Danny Lafferty; **Andy Aitken; *Martyn Campbell.

AIRDRIE - Robertson; Storey, Lovering (McDonald 67), Smyth, Donnelly, McLaughlin, McCann, Baird, O’Carroll (Keegan 79), Gemmill, Waddell. Unused subs: Legana, Watt, Hollis. Booked: McDonald, Storey; Sent off: Baird.

AYR - Samson; Mitchell, Aitken, Campbell, Lafferty; Keenan (Connolly 72), Bowey (Woodburn 72), McGowan, Borris (Mendes 67); McManus, McKay. Unused subs: Grindlay, Gibson. Booked: Aitken, Bowey, Campbell, Keenan, Mitchell.

Referee - Anthony Law; Crowd - 1122.