Airdrie 'deserved to take something' from Ayr, but boss says shooting practice needed

Rhys McCabe says he doesn’t need to be a football expert to point out that Airdrie deserved to take at least a point from Ayr on Saturday – but reckons his side need target practice.

A strike by on-loan Partick Thistle star Anton Dowds 15 minutes into the Somerset Park clash ultimately saw the points staying with Lee Bullen’s side.

But Airdrie were far from being out of the game, and McCabe reckons they should have taken something back to North Lanarkshire.

Dowds provided a first home win for Ayr in four months when he headed in a Jamie Murphy corner after 15 minutes.

Airdrie skipper Adam Frizzell had seen a shot saved a minute earlier, and McCabe curled a free kick wide of target in 19 minutes.

They went closer still in 26 minutes when Calum Gallagher met a Charlie Telfer cross with a header, but saw it crash off a post.

McCabe saw another well-struck free kick slapped over the bar by keeper Robbie Mutch.

Diamonds keeper Josh Rae kept the score down with a smart save from Dowds, and Ayr went close again when Logan Chalmers fired wide.

Telfer fired over and Liam McStravick had an effort saved as Airdrie tried to get back level.

Airdrie fans were screaming for a penalty when Gallagher appeared to be barged by Frankie Musonda, but referee Peter Stuart wasn’t interested.

Frizzell and Dean McMaster were both denied as the game moved into the last 10 minutes, while Dowds sent a lob wide of target to close the game out.

A frustrated McCabe, whose side have slipped to seventh in the Championship table, said: “I don’t need to be a football expert to tell you that we should come away – minimum – with something from that game.

“Ultimately I said that to the boys in there that you get punished at any level if you don’t take your