MATCH PREVIEW: Ayr United

Ayr United versus MORTON

Saturday 15 February 2020
Somerset Park, Ayr
Kick-off 3.00pm

by Ewan Boyle

Scene Setter

In what should be the Ton’s final trip to Somerset Park this year, Morton travel to Ayr for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Championship fixture for the second time this season.

Sitting 7th in the league, David Hopkin’s men have been in good form in the last few weeks with an unbeaten league run in 2020 continuing after last week’s 2-2 draw with Queen of the South.

This is the third time this season which the sides have met and the Ton will be aiming to get their first win over the Honest Men this season.

“I think Ayr are probably the most attacking team in the league with Alan Forrest and Craig Moffat and they’re a team that have been together for a while.

“We need to go and defend and make sure we cope with this threat well when we play on Saturday.

“You always want to try and get the new boys on the pitch and playing but when you’ve got players playing as well as Nicky Cadden and Aidan Nesbitt it’s difficult.to drop these players.”

Morton’s unbeaten run at home in the 2019/20 season came to an end in the previous  as Ayr United ran out as winners in the match at Cappielow after a 5-goal thriller.

The opening goal of the game fell on 47 minutes when Morton fbroke the deadlock as a stramash in the Inverness box resulted in Bob McHugh hitting the post which was knocked out to Jack Baird who was able to find the net from close range to send the Ton ahead.

It was not long before Ayr United got their equaliser when Craig Moore remained cool in the opposition box and slotted the ball over Sam Ramsbottom for the goal on 50 minutes.

The Honest Men would be the ones to take the lead next in the game when Greenock-born Luke McCowan had a sensational effort fly into the top bag on 21 minutes from long range to put Ayr ahead.

But the game continued to be end-to-end from there as Morton got an equaliser shortly after McCowan’s goal when a mistake from Aaron Muirhead set up Bob McHugh with the chance to run alone through on goal on 61 minutes and slot the ball under Ayr goalkeeper Ross Doohan.

However, to the disappointment of the Morton fans, it was Ayr who would seal the victory at Cappielow when a great save from Sam Ramsbottom was palmed out to Craig McGuffie who’s shot took a big deflection and sailed into the net on 78 minutes.