Darren Dods insists better days are just around the corner for Brechin City despite their miserable start to the season continuing with their fourth loss on the trot.
The Glebe Park side stay rooted to the foot of League One and are out of both cups but the player-manager, who conceded the penalty for Ayr’s winner, can see the shoots of recovery.
Dods claimed: “There was a big change from the game here two weeks ago and we showed some great spirit.
“We created a lot of chances and limited Ayr to just a few. It was a lot better than the last time we were here.”
Brechin’s problems mounted in the warm-up when Ross Perry injured his calf and had to be replaced by Jamie Montgomery.
That left them with only four subs, one of whom was trialist Ryan Finnie.
Dods admitted: We’ve got a few injuries at the moment with Dene Shields and Paul McLean both out but you’ll get spells like that and you’ve just got to dust yourselves down and get on with it.”
Brechin started well but fell asleep at an Ayr corner when Alan Forrest headed home from point-blank range.
Brechin thought they had equalised seven minutes later when Andy Jackson slid the ball home, but their joy was cut short by the linesman’s raised flag.
Brechin levelled on 68 minutes when Thomson beat the advancing Fleming to nod home a through ball from Craig Molloy.
However, it took Ayr only five minutes to regain the lead when Dods was adjudged to have brought down former City star Alan Trouten as he raced into the box.
The day ended on a low note for Brechin when goalkeeper Graeme Smith dashed upfield to join the attack for a corner in time added on.
He then swung an elbow at Ayr defender Peter Murphy who crashed to the turf. Ref Barry Cook immediately flashed a red card at the keeper, who had earlier been booked.