(Images: Auchinleck Tabot / Jazzamcg Photgraphy / Bonnytone Thistle)
Ayr United fell to a home defeat to league leaders Stenhousemuir as Auchinleck Talbot set the tone against their fierce rivals ahead of Friday’s cup encounter.
The Honest Men lost out 1-0 to Marvin Bartley’s side, who march on with their astonishing start to the Championship campaign following promotion from League One with now-Ayr boss Gary Naysmith.
A Sam Young header on the 20-minute mark was enough for the Warriors to go eight points clear at the league summit on a frustrating night in front of goal for the home side.
Speaking to Now Ayrshire, Ayr boss Naysmith shared his frustration at coming away with nothing at home against his former side.
He said: “I think the first half wasn’t as good as the second half, which has become a bit of a theme for us. To be fair to Stenny, they go in front and then defended their box very well, especially in the second half.
“I thought we put a lot of balls in the box but didn’t create enough clear-cut chances. I was much happier with how we played in the second half, but that first half is where we put ourselves in a bit of trouble.
“There’s things there that we have to improve, and I understand the frustration from the fans as it’s been a long time since the club strung back-to-back victories. That there was a good chance to do that.”
United sit eighth in the Scottish Championship following Friday night’s result with only a single win in their last five competitive games.
They next head to West Lothian to face Livingston, who come into this weekend on the back of a 2-0 win over Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy.
DRESS REHEARSAL FOR FRIDAY?
Auchinleck Talbot turned on the style against Cumnock in the Lowland League West, a week before their encounter in the Senior Scottish Cup for a second consecutive year.
Tommy Sloan’s men came out with a convincing 4-0 over their bitter rivals at Beechwood Park following two previous losses to Largs Thistle (0-1)Â and Kilwinning Rangers (3-0).
The Bot had rang in the changes from Tuesday night’s “unacceptable” defeat in North Ayrshire with the likes of new signings Lewis Latona, Ethan Brew, and Marc Capaldi coming in for first-team mainstays Connor Boyd and Ewan Thomson.
Speaking to club media, Talbot assistant manager Allan McLuckie saw this latest win as the perfect way to bounce back.
He said: “We couldn’t have asked for a better performance for the players. As a group, we owed the supporters and the committee a response, and we truly did that with an excellent effort all over the pitch.
“We had to change things around from the last game, which wasn’t acceptable. Young Lewis (Latona) and Marc Capaldi, who haven’t played a lot of minutes, were exceptional and resilient.
“This game is done and dusted and next week is a completely different game. It’s in front of the BBC, of course, which we will be prepared for, and we need to put in performances as we did there every week.”
Cumnock boss Stephen Swift said: “It’s a sore scoreline, but I thought we were worthy of going in at half-time with a lead, but we never took our chances.
“There were no complaints about the second half. Talbot completely ran over the top of us, knowing how dangerous they are in attack and how they hem you in, and we never stood up to it.”
The Nock will be looking for a response against their rivals as they do it all again on Friday night in the first round of the Scottish Cup at Townhead Park.
The game will be broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel with a 7.30 pm kick-off.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
A Ryan Wilson hat-trick helped Kilwinning Rangers continue their impressive start to the Lowland League West campaign with a win over Troon at Portland Park.
Chris Strain’s side continued where they left off after defeating Auchinleck Talbot 3-0 in midweek, beating the Seasiders 4-2, making it four straight league victories.
Both sides are also in Senior Scottish Cup action this coming Saturday. The Buffs head east to face Penicuik Athletic as Jimmy Kirkwood’s Troon travel north to take on Highland League side Deveronvale at Princess Royal Park.
The West of Scotland Premier Division saw Darvel grab a 3-2 win at Drumchapel United as Jamie McKim’s Irvine Meadow went joint top of the league with a narrow win at Kirkintilloch Rob Roy.
Results elsewhere saw Bonnyton Thistle bounce back from their heavy defeat to Gartcairn with an important 4-1 victory at Neilston, as Kevin Kelly’s Whitletts Victoria recorded a convincing 5-0 over South Ayrshire rivals Maybole in the First Division.
