The newly appointed skipper said Ayr had their chances but can still be positive going into the new league season.
After Ayr’s disastrous exit from the Premier Sports Cup, Ben Dempsey acknowledges that they only have themselves to blame.
Even though United defeated Highland League champions Buckie Thistle 3-2 on the penultimate day of play, they were unable to qualify for the knockout stages due to errors made in their line-up. Ayr finished third on goal differential in Group B, although they will not advance despite winning three of the matches.
After missing many excellent opportunities, manager Scott Brown chastised his team for lacking a “ruthless” mentality. New captain Brian Dempsey acknowledged that his team could and ought to have amassed a cricket-like lead.
“We always knew it was going to be a tough group, but you’d liked to have thought nine points would have been enough,” he said to the Ayrshire Post. Sadly, for us, that was not the case.
“We know if we’d taken our chances, we could easily have scored six or seven today. But at the same time we conceded two sloppy goals and that’s not good enough. They caught us off guard a couple of times and we need to work on that and improve.
“It feels weird to be disappointed after finishing the group with nine points, but we’ve definitely shown enough in pre-season and the cup to know we’re in good shape going into the league season.”
In his third season at United, Brown has given Dempsey the captain’s armband. Although he acknowledges it’s a different profession, the former Charlton midfielder is enjoying it.
“When I came in at the beginning of the season, I wasn’t really expecting it, but the gaffer has shown that faith in me, and I’m enjoying the role,” he stated. I’m just trying to take it game by game and be a leader for the boys since this is a new responsibility for me. I don’t like to yell and scream just for fun, but when I have something to say, I don’t hesitate to voice it.
“It means a lot to have someone like the gaffer showing that faith in me – there’s no better person than him to learn from in the game and I try and take it in each and every day in training. I just want to repay that trust he’s shown in me.”
Brown had restored Marco Rus to the starting line-up following his suspension while there was also a first start of the season for Jamie Murphy. And Ayr almost got a flier after just 20 seconds when Jay Henderson’s long range lob was tipped over by Mark Ridgers.
George Oakley sent a point blank header straight at Ridgers before Ayr made their pressure tell when Henderson ran through to bury a fine effort. Then came the game’s big flashpoint when Buckie’s Josh Peters somehow stayed on the park after an X-rated lunge on George Stanger – ref Colin Steven only deeming it a yellow card.
But Ayr doubled their lead with a brilliantly taken goal when Dempsey fed Anton Dowds and his pass was turned home by Henderson. However, United couldn’t reach the break with the two goal lead intact and their anger at Peters staying on the park intensified when the same man scored from a corner.
As Ayr turned to shoot towards the Railway End in the second half, their pursuit of goals ultimately fell flat as the visitors sat in and hit on the break to good effect. Dowds passed up another gilt edged chance before Buckie levelled when slack defending afforded Jack MacIver space to rifle past Harry Stone from 20 yards.
