Stuart Bannigan hails Ayr United’s win over Brechin City

Mar 4 2011 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

GOAL hero Stuart Bannigan hailed the win as massive.

Patched-up warrior Chris Smith said he was staying in to watch Match of the Day to celebrate.

Brian Reid claimed the performance was payback to the supporters after back to back home defeats by Livingston (0-3) and East Fife (0-4).

It was 18-year-old Bannigan's second goal in Ayr colours after signing on loan from Partick but it wasn't his best 90 minutes.

Bannigan admitted: "I wasn't having my best game but I took a gamble to get on the end of Scott McLaughlin's cross.

"After two bad home defeats the win was massive and the clean sheet is a bonus."

Smith was in the wars in 23 minutes when he was involved in an ugly clash of heads with Gary Fusco who was stretchered off in a daze.

After lengthy touchline treatment, Smith reappeared looking like Basil Fawlty as he sported a blood soaked bandage.

Smith refused to hold back from aerial challenges and laughed: "It wouldn't have made any difference to me anyway. We needed a reaction from the East Fife game and the one we got was great."

Remarkably, this was Ayr's seventh successive home game and they put their recent blips behind them.

Eddie Malone stepped inside to partner Martyn Campbell while Jim Lauchlan moved to right-back. And the new look back division seemed far more at ease.

Ayr nosed in front with the last kick of the first-half when Bannigan pounced at the back post from McLaughlin's cross.

McLaughlin went close with a 20 yard volley early in the second-half before putting the game to bed in 65 minutes.

The hard working Michael Moffat set it up with a run and cross which McLaughlin nodded home on the run. Roberts and Moffat both had shots well saved by Craig Nelson as Ayr searched in vain for a third. Brechin mounted a spirited late revival and sub Jordan Kirkpatrick was only inches away from grabbing a consolation.

Then Rory McAllister hit a shot on the turn against the bar with two minutes to go.

Reid said: "I told the players it was time to stand up and show character and they did. Maybe we'll need to get a bandage on Smith's head every week. The big man came in and justified his selection while I thought Jim Lauchlan showed his experience at right back."

STAR MEN: ***Michael Moffat; **Eddie Malone; *Alan Trouten.

AYR - Crawford; Lauchlan, Smith, Malone, Campbell, Trouten, Willis (Tiffoney 82), McLaughlin, Moffat, Roberts (Rodgers 82), Bannigan. Subs: Jones, Trialist, Robertson.

BRECHIN - Nelson; McLean, Cook, McLaughlin, Moyes (Kirkpatrick 65), Janczyk, Fusco (Redman 24), Molloy, McAllister, McKay (McKenna 53), Byers. Subs: Scott, White.

Referee - Gary Hilland; Crowd - 1092.