Golden opportunity goes up in smoke

Saturday 3rd December - Irn-Bru First Division
Queen of the South 4, Ayr United 1


Bang. 97 seconds of madness and Ayr United's four game winning streak on the road came to an end on a dismal day in Dumfries, a 4-1 defeat ending any hopes of some breathing space at the foot of the table going into Yuletide.  At the start of the week United fans were speculating that three points against Partick Thistle on Wednesday followed by a win against struggling Queen of the South would see Ayr go eight points ahead of tenth place. Instead, on the back of an insipid performance against the Jags at Somerset and a second-half collapse at Palmerston the Honest Men have slumped to 9th, one point ahead of Raith Rovers who now occupy bottom spot.

Despite promising to freshen things up Brian Reid made just one change to the starting line-up with Gareth Wardlaw replacing Mark Roberts in the lone role up front.  It's the tried and tested formula away from home for United and it meant that Tam McManus would have to wait for his first start in his second spell at the club.

The first half started with a conservative approach from both sides. The sides matched up with 3 men each  in the middle of the park meaning most of the constructive play came out wide, where the contest between the veteran Allan Johnston - 38 years old later this month - and Jonathan Tiffoney perhaps the most intriguing, particularly as the youngster seemed to be struggling with an injury.

The deadlock was broken just after the half hour mark and it was against the run of play. Just prior, Ayr had fashioned a great chance as great interplay at the edge of the box saw Alan Trouten send a dangerous low ball across the face of goal but there were no takers. Then a ball half-cleared by the Ayr defence found midfielder Stephen McKenna around 35 yards out in space in the middle of the park and he took no time in sending an unstoppable shot into the top right-hand corner. While you might question why the former Airdrie man had so much space, Ayr seemed to be set-up well in defence and the strike, McKenna's second in the space of a week, has to go down as the sort of wonder goal you can do little about.

McKenna's strike left Cuthbert with no chance

Queens visibly took confidence from the goal and Ayr were sloppy in possession but the home side had conceded two equalisers at Cappielow seven days ago and did so again on the stroke of half-time. McGowan found space to strike the ball at goal and Lee Robinson could only parry the ball out to Wardlaw who rolled the ball home at the back post. Ayr would have had justification for feeling aggrieved if they had gone into the break behind and a decent argument could be made that the deserved to be in-front.

Ayr started the second-half much the stronger, dominating the early exchanges. Queens were unable to get out their own half but for all their possession United failed to create any clear cut chances. Micheal McGowan and Alan Trouten were both having another one of those all too common days, where flashes of neat and clever play ultimately end in losing possession through a poor cross or an attempt to pass one man too many.  Queens responded with a double substitution. A tiring Allan Johnston was replaced by Nicky Clark while the largely ineffective Tam Brighton made way for Kevin Smith, a thorn in Ayr during his time at Raith Rovers. Meanwhile, McManus, Roberts and co. continued to mill about in the background of the visitor's dugout.

The changes were like-for-like but had an immediate effect.  A previously composed United defence was tested for the first time in the game.  Under pressure, Tiffoney blundered on the ball in the box, sending a woefully short pass pack to Cuthbert which United's No. 1 did well to pluck from the feet of Smith.  Then the moment that was to change the game.  Eddie Malone got caught not only wrong side but also awkwardly under high ball played into the box and in the process of turning simply hacked Nicky Clark from behind. It was a clear penalty and one of the clearest red card's I've seen since Ludo Roy head butted that Forfar player at Somerset Park.  Former Ayr man Scott McLaughlin left footed the ball past Cuthbert.

It didn't have to be the killer blow but what followed effectively ended any chance Ayr had of getting back into the game.  Just 46 seconds later Ayr had lost possession from the kick-off, and with the defence at sixes and sevens, Danny Carmichael was presented with the simple task of netting after a ball from Smith found the Dumfries-born youngster in acres of space in the box.

Ayr's enforced defensive reshuffle, Geggan to right-back and Tiffoney across to left-back - along with the introduction of McManus up-front alongside Wardlaw - came too late and in truth Ayr were lucky a buoyant Queen of the South only added one more goal, another long-ranger this time from Simmons. Gareth Wardlaw was stretchered off with an ankle knock to compound the misery and the demeanour of his replacement Mark Roberts, who had declined to warm up at half time with the other subs, summed up the mood amongst the visiting support. 

Queens had benefited from a wonder strike to take the lead in the first half and made the most of a 97 second spell to forget for Eddie Malone and the United defence to win a game that, although Ayr were never ahead in, looked to be the Honest Men's for the taking around the hour mark.

So what next for Ayr? Brian Reid's men have conceded 19 goals in just seven league games on the road this season - shipping four on four separate occasions.  Changes are required, but with limited options in terms of defensive personnel the answer may lie further forward.  Playing Wardlaw along up front has proven effective in United's league cup encounters against SPL sides, when the onus is on the opposition to attack. But in the First Division Ayr are coming up against teams - home and away - where all out defence is never going to be the solution to earning three points. Geggan and McKernon provide a solid enough foundation but the four ahead of them simply isn't working.  At times, Trouten and McGowan are passengers the side can ill-afford. Their combined return rarely justifies Reid's persistence. The lone striker - Roberts or Wardlaw - is isolated while Moffat is persisting manfully in a role he clearly isn't suited.  Tam McManus adds to Reid's attacking options and not playing two up-front is becoming increasing perverse.  Whatever the approach, three points at home to Ross County looks to be a tall order before games at Livingston - only three points ahead - and Raith Rovers at home on Boxing Day, two games already shaping up to be season-defining.

The Opposition
Queens started the game like a team struggling at the bottom of the table. A lack of confidence was clear but credit to manager Gus McPherson who set up his side to match United, particularly in midfield where McLaughlin, McKenna and Simmons countered Geggan, McKernon and Trouten. They were no nonsense at the back - if in doubt put it out - and happy to play the long ball up the park to ease the pressure - effective tactics in the circumstances. 

The Doonhamers face a difficult game away to on form on Dundee on Saturday and seems unlikely they will go on a run of results that will see them move away from the relegation zone and unimaginable that they won't - along with Raith Rovers - be Ayr's main rivals in fight to avoid Second Division football next season.  Mark Campbell and Ryan McGuffie will strengthen and add experience to their defence when they return from injury, and they look solid in the middle of the park but despite a four-goal display today their goalscoring credentials are questionable. You would certainly take McManus, Wardlaw, Roberts, Moffat (supplemented by McGowan going forward) over the options available to Gus McPherson. Although  you sense the former St. Mirren manager would get more out that particular striking quartet...

McManus boosts United's striking options

Its been some time since the the last @albinoanaconda blog post, 65 days to be precise, but ahead of the Honest Men's trip to Palmerston Park I'm picking up almost where I left it. Since a late Mark Roberts goal earned United all three points against Queen of the South in September the Dumfries have picked up only six points from a possible 21 and have slumped to the bottom of the table.  Another defeat on Saturday and Brian Reid's men could extend their lead over the Doonhamers to six points.

That win at Somerset Park came on the back of the United's League Cup heroics against Hearts and superstitious boss Brian Reid stuck with the same formation, but with Mark Roberts replacing Gareth Wardlaw in the lone striking role.  That tactic simply didn't work for me - as discussed in the last blog entry - yet Ayr have persisted with Roberts up front on his own. The evidence is fairly damning.  Following on from the win against Queens, Ayr have struggled at home, scoring just once in four league games - a consolation against Dundee from the penalty spot in a 3-1 defeat.  Goalless draws against Livingston and Partick Thistle last Wednesday have all seen Roberts ploughing a loan furrow, as he also did when United made the long journey to Dingwall and were defeated 4-0.

Ayr's best results have come on the road and four consecutive wins began with another heroic cup display at St. Mirren Park.  As he did against Hearts, Gareth Wardlaw - with something to prove against his old side - lead the line superbly. The longer the game remained goalless, the more Ayr came into the game. Micheal McGowan in particular began to have a creative influence and after a serious of set-pieces it was Chris Smith who powered home the winning goal from a Eddie Malone free kick to set the biggest Ayrshire derby in history in January.

Four days later and 2-0 down at half-time against Hamilton at New Douglas Park all looked lost but an incredible second-half display - and another header from Chris Smith - earned Ayr an unlikely three points. The Honest Men also travelled to play Raith for an early season 'relegation six-pointer' and came away with what could prove to be a vital 1-0 win against a poor Rovers side devoid of confidence.  Like at Paisley, Gareth Wardlaw was the man entrusted to lead the line in Kirkcaldy and Hamilton, with Mark Roberts on the bench.  Three games away from home in which Wardlaw has played up front on his own and three impressive and important wins. Four games with Roberts up front on his own - three at home - and just one goal and two points.  It would be over-simplifying matters to state it should be Wardlaw and not Roberts who should play up front - things weren't too difference when Wardlaw fulfilled the role at home to a Morton side there for the taking at Somerset - but it is clear Reid cannot continue with Roberts in the loan role.  Against Partick Thistle on Wednesday, Marko cut a frustrated figure, his contribution mainly limited to kicking and barging the Thistle back three.  When he was substituted on 69 minutes the skipper slumped back in the dugout, clearly not happy. The veteran still has that compose on the ball, especially in the box, that can fashion a shooting chance from nowhere but he simply lacks the legs, stamina, pace and physicality make an impact on his own up front.

Wednesday also saw a second debut for Tam McManus. The former Hibs striker has penned a short-term deal to the first week in January having trained with the side for a number of weeks and turned out a couple of times for the Reserves. Although you can expect some shortness of match fitness having not played a first-team game since he left Falkirk in May it made Reid's decision to go with Roberts alone up front against Thistle all the more bewildering. With four strikers in the match-day 16 why put one on the wing (a matter for whole different blog post) and leave two on the bench, playing arguably the least effective in the lone role up front? More frustratingly, why wait until 74 minutes to make the switch to two up front? Like the Livingston and Morton games it felt that an overcautious approach from the United boss had scuppered any chance of earning three points.

Hopefully Reid will acknowledge a change is needed and in his pre-match comments Brian states: "Our midweek game against Partick took a lot out of the side due to the conditions it was played in and I will look to freshen things up as result", hinting at a start for McManus. Whether in place or alongside Roberts (or Wardlaw) we'll see but there is no doubting that Tam McManus is an exciting option.

Why McManus finds himself, again, in the situation where Ayr United seems to be his only option is baffling.  Especially on the evidence of these goals:



Tam's first spell at Somerset Park started with four goals in his first five games and sparked a mini-revival which gave United hope in their relegation battle (Ayr won four and drew four of his first nine league games at the club).  In the end, Ayr lost eight of their last nine games and were relegated.  Staying on at Somerset Park was never on the cards but it was not until September 2010 that Tam was fixed up with a club as he returned to Falkirk, initially to January but subsequently extended to the end of the 2010/11 season. Seven goals in 13 starts was a decent return at the Falkirk Stadium but at the start of this season McManus again found himself on the look out for a new club - a twelfth of his career at the age of 30.

McManus told the Daily Record in October that he was feeling as sharp as he ever has in his career and "playing for claps" represents a risk well worth taking - but will surely require a change in approach from Brian Reid. Somerset Park buzzed with excitement on Wednesday night, despite the wind and the rain, when McManus entered the fray and partnered Wardlaw upfront. At a stage of the season where a couple of wins could open up a significant gap between the Honest Men and the bottom of the table, a few goals from a proven goalscorer could prove very shrewd business indeed.