AYR UNITED – BRECHIN CITY MATCH PREVIEW


Brechin City will play their second game in four days when they travel the long distance to Ayr tomorrow to face the Honest Men who will be on a high after their 4-1 hammering of Arbroath on Saturday.

The City players have played Mark Robert’s side twice already this season, the last game between the teams taking place at Glebe Park just a couple of weeks ago when City emerged 2-1 winners on the night, thanks to a couple of goals from defender Gerry McGlauchlan either side of Ewan Moyes’s own-goal for the visitors.

It was a different outcome way back at the end of September when Ayr eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory despite having defender Austin McCann red-carded early on for deliberate hand-ball in the penalty-box. However, Andy Jackson uncharacteristically missed the resultant penalty and this gave the hosts the impetus to go on and record what in the end turned out to be an easy victory with goals from Michael Moffatt, Marc Twaddle and David Sinclair.

Moffat is obviously a man the City defence will have to keep a very close eye on tomorrow after he scored all four of Ayr’s goals in the 4-1 demolition of Arbroath on Saturday but City have scored six goals in their last three games and will be keen to see this form continue tomorrow night.

Manager Ray McKinnon will be without midfielder Gary Fusco who is automatically suspended for this match after his two yellow cards on Saturday and it looks as if he may be replaced by Garry Brady who came on as a sub for David McKenna for the last five minutes of Saturday’s match. The manager also has a couple of players nursing knocks after Saturday’s match but is hopeful that they will be ok for tomorrow night.

Ayr manager Mark Roberts will be without defender Kyle McAusland but is hopeful that fellow defender Chris Smith will return to the side after he missed Saturday’s game at Arbroath because of an heel injury.

The last six results for the sides are as follows : - (City and Ayr Scores First)

Brechin City

2/1 Forfar (A) 4-1
5/1 Alloa (H) 3-2
12/1 East Fife (A) 2-2
16/2 Arbroath (A) 1-0
19/2 Ayr (H) 2-1
2/3 S’Muir (A) 3-3

Goals Scored – 15 Goals Conceded – 9
Won 4 Drawn 2 Lost 0

Ayr United

9/2 Alloa (A) 2-2
16/2 Albion (H) 5-2
19/2 Brechin (A) 1-2
23/2 Forfar (H) 2-1
26/2 S’Muir (H) 1-2
2/3 Arbroath (A) 4-1

Goals Scored – 15 Goals Conceded – 10

Won 3 Drawn 2 Lost 1

The referee tomorrow night will be 36 year-old Des Roache, a former 1500m British junior champion who will be taking charge of his second City match of the season, the first one being the 2-0 victory against Stranraer at Stair Park at the end of December.