Danny McKay’s birthday goal wins Ayr three points

Apr 23 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

BIRTHDAY boy Danny McKay insists Ayr can stay in the First Division after his wonder winner breathed fresh life into their survival bid.

The on loan Killie striker, who turned 19 the day before, raked a superb effort into the top corner with 11 minutes to go.

Ayr had ridden their luck after Thistle missed a host of chances. But they finally got the break they needed when McKay, who had come off the bench for the injured Tam McManus, came up trumps with a majestic strike.

McKay departed himself with five minutes to go but stressed there was no recurrence of the knee injury that sidelined him for three weeks.

McKay said: "It's my third professional goal and has got to be right up there. I am just glad to be back playing again and only came off near the end because of fatigue, not an injury.

"If we keep playing as a team we have a great chance of staying up."

Delighted boss Brian Reid revealed fellow sub Kenny Connolly had urged McKay to go on and score a birthday goal.

Reid said: "It came true and you won't see a better finish into the postage stamp corner to give us a big three points.

"We knew it would be a battle but we worked hard, something we hadn't been doing of late, and got the wee break with the goal.

"It was all about scrapping to victory. A few words were said during the week and we had a good team meeting. I made it clear that I wasn't going to stand for performances like we had and that the four week holiday camp had come to an end."

Ayr were up against it early on and in six minutes Dean Keenan was caught in possession by Kris Doolan. The former Auchinleck Talbot youngster squared the ball to Paul Cairney but he scuffed his shot straight at Craig Samson.

McManus was off the park receiving treatment for a foot knock when Samson was called into action again to save a Doolan header.

Cairney sent a low 22 yarder skidding past as Ayr struggled to come to terms with the swirling wind and sandy surface.

Doolan should have fired the Jags ahead in 22 minutes when he sprung Ayr's offside trap and raced clear but shot wide with only Samson to beat.

McManus had never recovered fully from his injury and in 32 minutes he was replaced by McKay who was to make a huge impact.

Ayr had a huge let-off three minutes later when Martin Grehan screwed a shot wide from only eight yards.

McKay's strength in attack was immediately evident as he won a corner with some tenacious play but Keenan's kick came to nothing.

After an insipid first-half, Ayr started the second period with more fire in their bellies but still lacked a cutting edge.

Paul Paton was booked for sliding in on Samson who reacted furiously and was lucky to escape a yellow himself.

At last, Ayr called Jonny Tuffey into action after 66 minutes but the keeper was barely troubled to save Ryan McGowan's weak shot from a Ryan Borris cross.

Thistle's frustrations grew and young sub Kieran Burns fired wide after being sent clear on goal.

They were to pay dearly for that miss when McKay ran on to a Mark Roberts pass and cut back before curling an unstoppable shot high into the net beyond the despairing reach of Tuffey.

Samson saved from Burns as Thistle tried to respond but Ayr were content to run down the clock with Junior Mendes replacing McKay for the final throes.

Stunned Jags boss Ian McCall said: "Frankly, I don't understand it. I don't know how we can miss so many chances, hence we are being booed off the pitch.

"On another day, these would be flying into the net. We should have won comfortably but didn't."

STAR MEN: ***Danny McKay; **Craig Samson; *Kevin James.

PARTICK - Tuffey; Paton, Boyle, Hodge, Robertson, Maxwell, Cairney (Erskine 58), Rowson, Grehan (Donnelly 58), Doolan (Burns 69), Conroy. Unused subs: Halliwell, Corrigan.

AYR - Samson; Mitchell, Gibson, James, Easton; McGowan, Bowey, Keenan (K. Connolly 73), Borris; McManus (McKay 32, Mendes 85), Roberts. Unused subs: Lafferty, Grindlay.

Referee - Craig Thompson; Crowd - 1877.