Ayr United vow to beat Brechin and win play-offs

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

TWO more big performances and the First Division beckons.

Now boss Brian Reid is urging his men to take the final two steps to play-off glory.

Ayr meet Brechin in the first leg at Somerset Park on Wednesday evening with the return at Glebe Park on Sunday.

Reid said: “I have congratulated the players on finishing second – now we have two separate cup finals.

“We have not had a great deal of luck this season with injuries and suspensions, yet we still finished the season strongly.

“Now we want to cement that good work and get back to the First Division.

“Players would prefer next season to go to nice stadiums like Dens Park, Livingston and Firhill rather than long treks toArbroath, Forfar and Cowdenbeath.

“That’s the incentive. A lot of players are playing for their futures and it will be a wee bit easier to get better contracts in the First Division.”

Long term crock Dean Keenan is Ayr’s only definite absentee for Wednesday’s home leg, which will be the last game to be played under the 40-year-old floodlights which will be pulled down afterwards.

Andy Rodgers, who sat out Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Forfar with a groin strain, didn’t train on Monday night as a precaution.

Reid says: “The good thing is we are scoring goals. Alan Trouten and Michael Moffat are chipping in while Mark Roberts has 26 – he’s a big occasion player and is due another couple after a quiet spell.”

Honours are even between the teams this season. An unrecognisable Ayr team from the present choice lost 2-0 at Somerset on the opening day.

Brechin won 1-0 against a shadow team on the final day when they had to win while Ayr had already qualified.

But in between, Ayr held the aces, winning 2-0 at Somerset and 3-0 at Glebe Park.

Brechin, who in Rory McAllister have the league’s top scorer, faced a scramble for the play-offs after taking only one point from six games.

But they halted their slide in the nick of time and then beat Cowdenbeath 4-2 on aggregate to set up the Ayr showdown.

Reid loves the occasion of the play-offs but isn’t a fan of the format presently being employed.

He skippered Blackpool and scored in their 4-2 win over Leyton Orient before a 40,000 crowd at the Millennium Stadium.

And he led Ayr to their win over Airdrie two years ago.

Ironically, after finishing fourth, Brechin now have home advantage in the second leg of the final and that’s one of the flaws of the current system.

Reid says: “I think the way England do it is far better. A one off final at either St Johnstone or St Mirren would be a great occasion for the supporters who have a lot of expense in attending two games.

“A one off final would also be moreappealing for TV coverage.”