GOAL hero Craig Moore and goalkeeper Greg Fleming are hoping Saturday's battling against-the-odds draw at Dumbarton will help spur Ayr United on as they battle for survival in the Ladbrokes Championship.

The striker, who last month returned from a lengthy spell of injury, netted from the spot in 93 minutes as the game ended 2-2. A Michael Rose free-kick two minutes earlier had brought the Honest Men back into a match they looked to have lost after they were reduced to 10 men in the first half following the red-carding of Ross Docherty.

Moore said: "We kept working until the final whistle and managed to get something out of the game. It's always hard when you go down to 10 men but the boys in the changing room fight for each other and we kept going to the end. That's all you can do in these circumstances.

"It was a great free-kick from Michael and he did well go put it into the bottom corner. For the penalty I just had to keep my nerve and make sure I hit the target. It's a massive point for us, it's better coming away with one point than nothing.

"We have a game in hand over Dumbarton. The next two games at home to St Mirren and Raith Rovers are massive, if we can pick up points there that will make it interesting. But we must start picking up three points in games."

Fleming said: "If you get that late into the game you are thinking the points are gone but you never know. It was a good finish from Michael and Craig did really well with the penalty. The result gave us a real lift. We will take the games as they come and anything can happen. It would nice to pick up a win at the weekend. I am hopeful we can stay up, there's no point in being here if you don't think that."

Manager Ian McCall was delighted the win and said: "The build-up to the second goal was amazing. I shouted to Conrad Balatoni to go forward and he was forward already. I don't know where it came from. We haven't been beaten at home since October. We have to turn draws into wins but do that we must start turning draws into wins.

"There are two massive games coming up before our cup quarter-final and we have to focus on St Mirren on Saturday and aim to win. With the squad they have they should be in n the top four."

Added McCall: "The players did really well to get back into the match on Saturday and I have to say the fans were great - they gave us such fantastic backing."