Ayr United ace Tam McManus salutes manager’s signings

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

GOAL king Tam McManus believes boss Brian Reid deserves all the credit for turning around Ayr's season.

McManus hit his fifth in nine games since signing to send United on their way to their biggest win. Danny McKay and Mark Roberts struck at the death to make it seven games unbeaten.

McManus, who joined Ayr from Derry City, revealed: "The gaffer should take a lot of the credit for bringing in a bit of experience and two or three very good loan players to add to the quality he already has.

"We are on a good run and the goals are going in for me. I'm really enjoying it here and there is great atmosphere in the dressing room.

"With Morton and Airdrie both winning, it's just as well we won. We just need to keep winning and if we can beat Raith on Saturday, we will drag them into it as well."

McManus was taken off with 24 minutes to go but insisted there was nothing sinister behind the decision.

He revealed: "I was tired after a lot of games and the gaffer was just looking after me."

Dean Keenan and Willie Easton replaced Chris Mitchell and Alistair Woodburn from the team that drew 1-1 with leaders Dundee in midweek.

Keenan was in the wars after only 21 minutes, copping a yellow for a clumsy challenge on the tricky Leon Knight.

Four minutes later, Ayr hit the front. Mark Roberts knocked the ball on and McManus cleverly lobbed it over keeper David Hutton as he rushed off his line.

Easton's comeback from a lengthy spell out injured lasted only until the 29th minute when he was helped off in severe discomfort and replaced by Kenny Connolly.

Ayr almost doubled their lead a minute later. Ryan Borris cut the ball back from the right touchline and Roberts sent in a goalward header which was nodded off the line by Marc McAusland.

Queens looked a team resigned to their third defeat on the bounce and it was Ayr who dominated the second-half with some silky, creative play.

The busy Ryan McGowan, who formed a great midfield engine with Steve Bowey, flashed a header just wide in 58 minutes.

Reid showed his willingless to rotate his squad by making two switches within three minutes - McKay and Junior Mendes replacing Borris and McManus.

McGowan had another shot tipped around the post before Ayr struck gold in 79 minutes. McKay sent in a shot from 25 yards which took a deflection off McAusland before looping into the top corner.

Bedlam with three minutes to go when McKay dashed into the box only to be sent crashing to the ground by Hutton who earned only a yellow.

It seemed puny justice given the straight red which Craig Samson received at Palmerston in January for a foul of much less severity. And in Samson's defence, Ayr had two players guarding the goal line.

When the commotion died down, Roberts confidently slammed home the penalty to put the lid on Ayr's best of the season.

Reid said: "It's another great win, three goals and a clean sheet. It shows we are up for the challenge and ready to battle."

Queens chief Gordon Chisholm, in his farewell game before joining Dundee, admitted: "I can't remember us every working the Ayr keeper. We're killing ourselves at both ends.”

STAR MEN: ***Steve Bowey; **Ryan McGowan; *Martyn Campbell.

AYR - Samson; Keenan, Aitken, Campbell, Lafferty; Borris (McKay 63), Bowey, McGowan, Easton (Connolly 29); McManus (Mendes 66), Roberts. Unused subs: Grindlay, Gibson. Booked: Keenan, Lafferty, Connolly.

QUEEN OF SOUTH - Hutton; Reid, Hammill, Adams, Andrews, McAusland, Burns, Quinn (McLaren 70), Holmes (O'Connor 73), Knight (Kean 60), Weatherston. Booked: Hutton, Hammill, Quinn.

Referee - Gary Hilland; Crowd - 2139.