Jeff urges Ayr to join rivals Killie in SPL

Published on Friday 23 January 2009 08:59

JIM JEFFERIES called for arch-rivals Ayr United to join Kilmarnock in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League after his side won through to the fifth round of the Homecoming Scottish Cup with a dramatic 3-1 derby win.

After a thrilling 2-2 draw in the first game at Somerset Park, the sides served up an enthralling replay in front of the cameras and 11,563 fans at Rugby Park.

A Simon Ford double gave ten-men Killie their first derby win since 1994 and sealed a trip to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the next round.

Bryan Prunty controversially put the Second Division side ahead in the tenth minute when he used his hand to knock the ball past Killie keeper Alan Combe.

Ford headed the equaliser four minutes after the break – his first of the season – and, after David Fernandez was shown a straight red card for lashing out at Ayr defender Martyn Campbell, Mehdi Taouil put the home side into the lead before Ford added a third with another header.

Afterwards, an ecstatic Jefferies, who claimed anti-Kilmarnock headlines in an Ayrshire newspaper had provided all the incentive his side needed, said: "I hope Ayr get promotion (from the Second Division] and hope they then take the next step.

"You've seen what the atmosphere was like, the type of game it was and the way the fans reacted. So bring on the Ayrshire derbies in the future because they are great occasions.

"I don't think I have been as pumped up for a game for a while. It wasn't that I was worried, it was the atmosphere that makes you enjoy it so much because I know what it means to the Kilmarnock people to win it after having a bad record against them."

The Killie boss added: "We were magnificent. We were the best team all night and they couldn't live with us at times."