Forfar Athletic’s extended unbeaten run ended not with a bang but a wimper as they slumped to a lacklustre defeat against Ayr United on Saturday.
Gone was the fire in the bellies that had epitomised their two most recent derby outings against Arbroath and Brechin City and instead too many of the players in sky blue had an off day and just did not play as well as they can.
Added to that equation was an impressive-looking Ayr side who thoroughly deserved their win.
Forfar manager Dick Campbell was a very angry man in the confines of the home dressing room but when he emerged he was honest enough to admit his team got just what they deserved from the game.
“I thought it was a bad game, horrible, and Ayr United totally deserved to win. We did not deserve to get anything out of it because too many people did not apply themselves.
“We were short today but players should have taken the chance to come in and show me that they are going to be staying here. That didn’t happen.”
Campbell reflected that Dale Hilson had several chances when he was running clear on goal and failed to capitalise and his recollection was that keeper Rab Douglas hadn’t many saves to make.
But closer scrutiny of match footage afterwards will no doubt remind the Forfar boss that he had to thank the big goalie several times for keeping his side in the game. Ayr had all the early possession and the bulk of chances too, the best falling to Kevin Kyle after just three minutes but his half volley was deflected inches wide.
Forfar had a great chance to open the scoring after 25 minutes when Hilson sped away into the box but keeper David Hutton did well to block his effort.
Ayr continued to dominate as Forfar failed to hold on to the ball. Douglas flapped at an Anthony Marenghi cross but Kyle scooped the rebound wide from just a couple of yards.
The big Forfar keeper redeemed himself moments later with a brilliant one-handed block to a Michael Moffat piledriver. Forfar started the second half in more determined fashion and briefly took the game to the Honest Men.
But the Forfar keeper was again called into action when he blocked a shot from Michael Donald from close range.
The visitors finally got the goal they deserved in the 61st minute when Kyle McAusland struck a fierce shot from the edge of the box which Douglas did well to block but no one picked up Kyle on the left and he headed home the rebound.
With five minutes to go sub Ross Campbell went close to rescuing a point but he lofted his shot just on top of the net.