A new drop-in club for those living with dementia and their carers has kicked off at Somerset Park. The Ally MacLeod Meeting Centre is the latest community initiative run by Ayr United's Football Academy. Named after the late, great former United boss, the facility is already providing a much needed service for locals. A warm welcome awaits those attending, with everything from practical support to games and karaoke at the weekly Thursday sessions. AUFA outreach staff and volunteers launched the new Centre last month, which is funded by Meeting Centres Scotland. Academy veteran Billy Alexander (pictured below) is among those overseeing the project and says it gives a new lease of life to those living with a range of conditions. He revealed: "Primarily the Centre caters for those living with dementia and Alzheimer's and those who care for them, but everyone is welcome to attend. "A big part of living with dementia can be for the carers as well and it's great to see the number of people who come in. It can be for something as simple as a cuppa and a blether. "It shows the power of community and as the Academy we have a range of clubs like this that now cater for activities outwith football. "From three year-olds all the way to 80-plus, there is something for everyone in what we do. "It's also fitting that the centre is named after Ally MacLeod, who himself had Alzheimer's and is such a legend at the club. "His daughter, Gail, is one of our volunteers so that's another really nice link to have." Those attending, from individuals to local nursing homes, are able to reminisce about lifetime travels using a special world map, while everything from golf to dominoes is on the agenda. The nearby Lochside Church also provide a slap-up lunch. United fan John McWhirter, who is one of the volunteers who helps make the sessions tick, added: "The biggest challenge is making people aware that we're here and what's available. "We started off our dementia walking football club with just two people and it's now grown beyond all recognition. Hopefully this will be the same. "Yes it's based at a football club but that's no barrier to anyone attending, it is very much a club for all." The Ally MacLeod Meeting Centre is located at the Ayr United Hospitality Suite and runs each Thursday between 10am-3pm. There is no need to book and everyone is welcome to drop in. For more information contact [email protected] or [email protected]

GARY NAYSMITH says Ayr must try and move on from two of the worst penalty calls Somerset Park has ever seen. United have been on the end of horror decisions against Dunfermline and Partick in the space of just six days. But the Ayr gaffer wants his team fired up by the costly refereeing blunders as they head to Morton this Saturday. He told the Ayrshire Post: “It’s hard not to get it out of your head, but unfortunately nothing is going to change. Nobody is going to award us points or have games replayed. "As a manager you look back on both of those decisions and they were truly definining moments in both games. “You’d like to think that after the attention Friday night’s decision got, something might be done, but who knows. “As a group, all we can do is move forward now and focus on what comes next and that’s Morton this weekend.” Ayr's resolute defensive work has seen them go more than a month without conceding from open play. And Naysmith hopes returning bodies in attacking areas can give him food for thought as he plots productivity at the top end of the pitch. He added: "We want to continue the momentum of that second half performance against Thistle where there was a lot to like. “The competition for places is becoming very strong all over the pitch and that's exactly what we want."

A FORMER top ref has said Matthew MacDermid should NOT have been appointed to make his blunder call at Somerset on Friday night. Bobby Madden says SFA beaks need to take their share of the blame for piling too much pressure on officials. Madden, an ex-category one whistler, flagged MacDermid's schedule last week which saw him refereeing a Uefa Youth League game in the Faroe Islands just 48 hours before taking charge of Ayr v Thistle. His decision to award the match winning penalty for Seb Drozd crumpling to the deck has since gone viral online. Speaking on his 'So Near, Yet So VAR' podcast, Madden said: “The decision has 330,000 views on Instagram. That tells you everything you need to know. “You’re talking about Ayr, Partick Thistle, the only goal of the game. It’s crucial. This decision – the referee is well placed, a delayed reaction by the attacker, he has a smirk when he goes down. “It just looks terrible. But I think we need to consider referee appointments. “Matthew (MacDermid) has a game in Europe during the week, travels back the day before this match, he does this match and then he’s VAR (on Saturday night). “It can’t be that small (a pool). I believe the referees are professional in their approach. “When you’ve got someone away on a three-day trip, I don’t know what Matthew’s job is, then he’s on a game on the Friday, he knows he’s VAR on the Saturday – that’s applying far too much pressure to someone who’s juggling personal life, family life and everything else. “This comes down to referee appointments. There’s six games in the Championship, why not put him on one on the Saturday? “Why when a referee maybe isn’t in the best of form put him on the live TV game? Put him on a game on the Saturday when there’s no TV cameras." Former FIFA ref Mark Clattenburg added: "I don't blame the ref in this. He's going to accept every appointment he gets. "The appointment is absolutely bonkers when the referee is in Europe during the week. You should try and avoid giving him a game until at least the Sunday. "Why do you think clubs, when they have European matches, don't play until the Sunday? It's so they have a chance to recover and it should be the same for referees."

GUTTED Gary Naysmith admits Somerset Park has seen two of its worst spot kick shockers - in just SIX DAYS. United were on the end of another horror call last night as whistler Matthew MacDermid awarded Partick Thistle a decisive penalty on the stroke of half time. The decision to blow after Seb Drozd hit the deck has since gone viral - with the clip being viewed half a million times online. Top pundits such as Chris Sutton have piled in to lament the clanger, which left even Jags boss Mark Wilson red faced over the award. It comes less than a week after Ayr were on the end of another nightmare call on home turf against Dunfermline. A frustrated Naysmith said: "It's weeks in a row now. That’s just ridiculous. "There will be no punishment - but there really should be. That cannot happen in the game. "I’m not really one for getting involved in referees. I was never bothered about who the referee was as a player, and I've never been bothered about it as a manager. "I like them just to go and do their job. It’s difficult enough. But you can’t have decisions like that. "To have two in six days is really tough. It's not like I can say to the boys...stop giving away silly penalties - we're not doing anything wrong. "It’s not as if we’re leaving trailing legs. If we were, I’d be saying 'Lads, that’s lazy defending, that’s poor defending, that’s slack.” "But there’s nothing. They’re trying to defend, and boys are going down and getting penalties. "If it was one last week and then another one in 10, 12 or 14 weeks, maybe you’d say that’s just how it goes. "But now it’s gone boom, boom, in quick succession. So yeah, it's hard to take." Ayr responded well after the setback but couldn't force an equaliser as Thistle toughed out the three points. Naysmith added: "I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that the first half wasn’t good enough. "But I thought the second half was a good response from the players, and I thought most, if not all, of the substitutes made a positive impact when they came on. "That’s something for us to build on for next week." Honest Jags boss Wilson admitted: "It wasn't a penalty - I watched one of the worst penalty decisions you'll ever see last week here with Dunfermline. "So Ayr might feel a little hard done by but we'll take it and it's three points."

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Gary Naysmith: “That’s two weeks in a row where players have dived against us. It’s ridiculous. And there will be no punishment. That can’t happen in the game. “I thought when we made the change at half-time, we were better. I thought the players showed character and we were the better team for large spells in that second half. That’s something we can work with.”

Full time. The horror penalty call will take the headlines - the second Ayr have conceded at Somerset in just six days. A far better second half with Thistle at least asked a few questions, but United made to rue a truly horrendous call from the whistler.

Fair to say not Matthew MacDermid's finest night in front of the cameras. Somehow contrived to card eight players as well...

Ball piling in the box for Ayr as the minutes tick down. Cannot force the break.

Big moment. Holt heads down for Stirton who knocks the ball goalward, only for Lee Ashcroft to hook clear and prevent the equaliser. Ayr enjoying a good spell now.

Better from Ayr since the break. McMann's fizzed cross met by Walker who draws the save from Budinauckas.

Hatton for Dick the change. Looks like Ayr will switch to a 4-4-2.

Thomas Hatton being called inside to the dressing room...looks like a half time change could be in the offing.

Replays show it's an absolute shocker of a call - Seb Drozd appearing to trip over himself in the box. Ayr behind and rightly furious at the manner of it, but they had spent that 45 minutes on the backfoot and now need to turn the tide of this game.

Goal Thistle

Big Thistle shouts for a penalty as Oisin Smyth goes down under Olly Whyte's challenge. Almost in the identical spot to last week's Andy Tod flashpoint. This time ref Matthew McDermid books the visiting player for simulation.

Ayr being asked to do a constant defensive shift now. Relentless pressure from the visitors.

Few unforced errors now creeping in with Thistle dominating the ball. Important spell to try and get through for Ayr.

Ayr visibly more at it in these early stages after last week's display. Pressing much higher.

Underway. Ayr will attack the Somerset Road End in this first half.