SCOTT Brown tonight warned his Ayr players that all 11 places in his side are up for grabs after they surrendered their unbeaten run at Falkirk.
The United boss pulled no punches in the wake of a tame display which saw Ayr well beaten thanks to an Ethan Ross double.
Brown insisted the performance was one he “didn’t recognise” with Ayr well off the levels they have set so far this season. And he wants an immediate response when Ayr bid to bounce back in next week’s Trust Trophy clash against Peterhead.
The boss said: “We weren’t at it from the off today and I don’t recognise that performance. I got a bit wrong as well and should have played big Geo (Oakley) up top for his physicality. But make no mistake we were lucky to lose 2-0, it should have been four or five.
“I back my team against anyone but the desire wasn’t there today. Maybe it was the big stage and everyone talking about us winning the league and lads believing their own hype, I don’t know. But there’s a lot of hard work ahead now ahead of next Saturday and 11 places up for grabs in the team.
“There was no desire to go and get on the ball and show we were top quality players today. The difference between the teams was they were quicker to everything and had that desire. Hopefully this is the last time we’ll be knocked down like this because I don’t really know what that performance was and I’m not dealing with it.”
Brown had opted to go with Frankie Musonda in the centre of the park alongside skipper Ben Dempsey and entrusted Alfie Bavidge with the lone striker role.
But Ayr were on the backfoot from the off and when Ross stole in down the left, he was able to fire beneath Liam Russell who had appeared to slip as he came out to narrow the angle.
Marco Rus fired inches wide from a Jay Henderson cross soon after but that was the closest Ayr came all afternoon.
Ross and Calvin Miller both missed great chances to double the Bairns’ lead before the break, pushing Brown to make a double switch at the interval as he introduced Oakley and Mark McKenzie for Bavidge and Ethan Walker.
Ayr were immediately more of a threat and started the second half on top but were caught cold on the counter attack as Ross pounced again to rifle home a low shot.
That all but killed the game and Falkirk were able to coast from there as United’s unbeaten run came to an end, but they remain top of the league tonight courtesy of a superior goal difference. Falkirk will play the first of their two games in hand at home to Livingston on Tuesday night in a clash that will have huge bearing on the early title pace.