Ayr United will look to bounce back from a controversial defeat when they visit Greenock Morton at Cappielow on Saturday. The visitors are seeking their first three-point haul since early October after a disputed penalty cost them against Partick Thistle.
Ayr United lost 1-0 at home to Partick Thistle in their last match. The decisive goal came from a penalty that has since been the subject of significant discussion. Club chairman David Smith confirmed that referee chief Willie Collum has "accepted accountability" for the call.
"Referee chief Willie Collum has 'accepted accountability' for the call," David Smith said.
That result leaves Ayr United seventh in the Scottish Championship table. They have not earned a league win since beating Livingston at the start of the month. Their opponents, Morton, enter the fixture in ninth place with seven points from 11 games, having recorded two wins and a draw from those matches. Dougie Imrie's side are on a two-game winning run, having beaten Queen's Park 2-0 last time out. That victory on Saturday 17 October saw George Gillespie score a penalty in the 13th minute and Michael Garrity add a second before half-time, assisted by K. Robertson.
Morton's recent victories over Queen's Park and Arbroath have provided a lift, though they remain 16 points behind leaders Stenhousemuir. The win at Arbroath on Saturday 10 October also featured a Gillespie penalty and an own goal. Goals from George Gillespie and Michael Garrity sealed the 2-0 win against Queen's Park on October 17. The team's form over the last five matches reads two wins and three losses, a sequence of results that began with defeats to Dunfermline, Inverness CT, and Raith Rovers. This season, Morton have scored nine goals while conceding 18, leaving them with a goal difference of minus nine. Saturday's home game against Ayr United presents a chance to build momentum and climb the table. The next match on the fixtures list is this key Championship encounter at Cappielow against seventh-placed Ayr United on Saturday 24 October.
The report in full is at carrickherald.com
