Ayr 2 Airdrie 1: Diamonds paid price for slack 10 minute spell, says Rhys McCabe

dailyrecord.co.uk:

SPFL Trust Trophy champions Airdrieonians were brought back down to earth last night after letting a leap slip in their Championship defeat at Ayr United.Just five days after lifting their first silverware in almost 16 years, Rhys McCabe's Diamonds were back on the box in a live TV clash at Somerset Park.And it looked like they would kick on from the cup triumph over The New Saints when Josh O'Connor got in behind the Ayr defence last in the first half to net a fine opener for the visitors.However, Scott Brown's Honest Men turned the game on its head early in the second half when Anton Dowds kept up his fine scoring record against the Diamonds this term with a composed finish just two minutes after the re-start.And within three minutes the hosts were in front when skipper Sean McGinty headed home from Jamie Murphy's free-kick.There was a moment of controversy 10 minutes from time when Dean McMaster only received a yellow card for a two-footed challenge on Harry McHugh, but even hanging onto their full compliment of 11 men couldn't help the Diamonds find that elusive equaliser in the final stages.Airdrie have now lost all four meetings with Ayr this season.Diamonds player-boss Rhys McCabe, who wasn't in the squad after picking up an injury in the final last week, said: "We've paid the price for a slack ten minutes."I didn't think there was much in the game."We started that second half really poorly and gifted them a way back into the game."It's about how we react to this now - we have to roll our sleeves up and make sure it's just a blip."We need to turn this into a positive as I thought there was still a lot of good in the game."Ayr boss Scott Brown was far from happy with the challenge from McMaster on McHugh and said: