Ayr United: Lee Bullen insists Ayr will trust style of play

It comes after the club suffered a battling loss, 3-1 away to Greenock Morton, in their opening match of the Championship season.

He added that their approach was working on Saturday - until players allowed nerves to kick in.

Bullen said his said showed positive glimpses in the match, which they led after 51 minutes when Oliver Pendlebury netted the opener.

Though they seemed to abandon their approach when Robbie Crawford equalised in the 61st minute.

Thereafter, a Robbie Muirhead penalty on 75 minutes and Steven Boyd goal in the final few minutes handed Dougie Imrie's Morton all three points.

Bullen commented: “I just think it was a little bit of a mentality thing, as soon as we conceded the equalising goal was seemed to get a little bit nervous and we stopped playing the football we had been playing up to that point.

“There was some quite good stuff having reviewed it again – at first straight after the game you’re full of emotion and you think aww it’s been rubbish – but you come off, you review it and watch the game again and there were some good spells in there for say the first hour.

“It was a bit each peachy between both teams but the last half an hour after the equalised we seemed to lose our way a little bit, it’s a bit frustrating.

“But I think this group, whenever they’ve taken a punch to the chin they’ve always come out and reacted really well, so I expect a really positive reaction back at Somerset.”

League action returns to Somerset Park this Saturday, when Ayr face Inverness at 3pm.

And Bullen says Ayr will be approaching the game in the same manner, as they look to get back on track.

He told the Advertiser: “It’s all about the reaction, you can’t change what’s happened now.

“You’ve got to analyse it, we’ve got to look at it, we’ve got to learn from it and we’ve got to push on from it.

“It’s just trying to be brave, stay honest to what you are trying to do and keep moving the ball.

“There were long spells in that first half we moved the ball really well and caused them problems.

“Again, it’s just that strong mentality, that bravery to be willing to make the passes, make the runs to give the options to the players on the ball.”

It is an approach Bullen said his side will implement all season as they look to push on from last season's second place finish.

He added: “We have to trust it (the way we are playing), trust each other as a unit, trust each other as individuals to deal with it and really work hard now.

“Obviously we’ll have to adapt, at times, when other teams maybe push a little bit higher but the overall way we want to play is moving that ball and passing it like we did in pre-season and like we did for long spells against Morton.

“That’s the message, let’s stick with it, let’s believe in it, let’s trust in each other and trust your teammates.”

Now, the United boss is hoping the home fans at Somerset will also help get behind the boys and push them onto victory.

Bullen commented: “The fans are massively important, they were brilliant again on Saturday up at Morton and that was the disappointing thing again that we came away with a defeat in the first game with such a good following.

“They’ve been great backing the boys, but it’s up to us to give them something to sing about and we’ll take that responsibility and I fully expect a positive reaction.

“The boys are good enough to get a result, it’s just about making sure that happens."