Ayr United manager Gary Naysmith has described his side’s start to the Scottish Championship season as “average” after the Honest Men were held to a 1-1 draw by Greenock Morton at Somerset Park.
The result left Naysmith frustrated after Ayr took the lead but could not hold on to claim what their manager felt should have been three points. The match, played in South Ayrshire on a Saturday, also gave Morton their first point of the season.
Murphy penalty gives Ayr half-time lead
Ayr went into the interval ahead after Jamie Murphy converted a penalty shortly before half-time. The spot-kick was enough to separate the teams at the break, with Naysmith saying there had been positive moments in the opening 45 minutes.
However, Eamonn Brophy equalised shortly after the hour mark to restore parity. Neither side could find a decisive second goal, and the points were shared.
“I think, in the first half, there were some good moments,” Naysmith told Ayr United TV.
The manager said Ayr had been on the ascendancy before the interval, although he acknowledged that the team had not tested Morton’s goalkeeper often enough.
Naysmith criticises second-half performance
Naysmith’s strongest criticism was reserved for Ayr’s display after the restart. He said the team had been “poor” on the ball, made basic errors and surrendered the attacking pressure needed to build momentum.
“It was a poor 45 minutes. We never really troubled their goalkeeper and we’ve gave away a really disappointing goal.”
He also said Ayr were not good enough without the ball in parts of the second half. For Naysmith, the draw represented two points dropped in a match Ayr should have been targeting as a victory, although he said the visitors deserved credit and that the game could ultimately have gone either way.
“There is a lot for us to work on. It was a really frustrating day for me, the players, the fans but we never deserved any more than a point.”
The manager identified passing accuracy, pressing and tracking opposing runners as areas requiring immediate attention. He warned that failing to handle what he called the “ugly side of the game” would make every Saturday difficult for Ayr.
Transfer deadline and next fixture
Naysmith hopes to strengthen his squad before the transfer deadline and said the club would see whether one or two players could be added during the week. He also stressed that improving the current group remained the priority, particularly as injured players begin to return.
“It’s an average start, we need to stay together as a group, work together and try and get better for next week.”
Ayr United’s next fixture is a trip to face Partick Thistle on Saturday, September 5. The manager’s immediate task is to turn his concerns over possession, aggression and defensive work into a stronger performance in the next match.
