Ayr United star Scott McLaughlin vows to beat play-off jinx

May 20 2011 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN sounded a note of caution for the play-offs as Ayr get set for a Brechin shoot-out.

Three times he's been there. Each time he has suffered pain with Airdrie (twice) and Morton.

Now the midfield string puller reckons it's high time he put the dark days behind him.

McLaughlin said: "Hopefully, this is the time I can end my play-off jinx. We've played Brechin and know that Rory McAllister is always a handful but we are looking to win both games."

With a 4-1 lead from the first leg, Ayr were always expected to cruise through but Forfar restored their pride with a battling display.

Boss Brian Reid admitted: "When you score three at home you expect to win but defensively we were poor. It was always a difficult game to approach but we didn't play anywhere near as well as we did on Wednesday.

"We weren't 100 per cent at the races but we are in the final which is the important thing. We'll go into the ties with confidence. It's up to us now."

Ayr seemed in easy street after only 12 minutes when Michael Moffat angled home his ninth goal since signing in January.

However, The Loons equalised in 31 minutes when Dale Hilson stepped inside Martyn Campbell and had time aplenty to slide a shot past Alan Martin.

Ayr were stung into action and in their next attack, Campbell, Ryan McCann and Mark Roberts all had efforts blocked by some frantic defending.

Hilson again gave Ayr a sharp reminder with a well struck shot but Martin dived full length to turn the ball round the post.

But it was Ayr who almost regained their lead on the stroke of the interval when the always busy Moffat cracked a left foot drive off the post.

McLaughlin put Ayr back in front in 48 minutes when he headed home a cross from Roberts.

But the lead lasted only eight minutes when Barry Sellars raced clear on a Chris Templeman pass to slam the ball past Martin.

Moffat had a netbound effort cleared by Steven Tulloch while McLaughlin rattled the bar as Ayr turned on some style. Ryan McCann then had a shot tipped over while Moffat was just too high from a Ross Robertson cross.

Forfar thought they had snatched victory through a Ross Campbell penalty in 89 minutes after Eddie Malone brought down Templeman.

But Ayr had the last word in injury time through a Trouten penalty after the same player was tripped by Tulloch.

Forfar boss Dick Campbell, who was banished to the stand for comments to referee Brian Winter, sighed: "The tie was lost in the first game.

"We had seven great chances and didn't take them. Good luck to Ayr in the play-offs but I can't call the winner as I think it will be close."

STAR MEN: ***Michael Moffat; **Alan Trouten; *Scott McLaughlin.

AYR - Martin, Lauchlan, Smith, Malone, Campbell, McCann (Tiffoney 80), McLaughlin, Trouten, Moffat, Roberts (Robertson 67), Bannigan (Easton 70). Booked: Campbell, McCann.

FORFAR - Duffy, Ross, I. Campbell, McCulloch, Tulloch, Brady (R. Campbell 65), Fotheringham (Gibson 77), Templeman, Hilson (Deasley 55), Sellars, Dow.

Referee - Brian Winter. Crowd - 1198.