Ayr United manager David Hopkin praised hit COVID- hit squad despite their 1-0 loss to Inverness at the weekend.

The club were hit with three players testing positing before the trip to the Highlands, with another self-isolating.

Hopkin had to shuffle around his team sheet for their third game in the Scottish Championship this season.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Hopkin said: “The whole week was up in the air with the cases meaning we were unable to train on Thursday because we were told not to.

“The players and the staff were then up again at 6am on Saturday to see if anyone else has tested positive.

“We had a great performance last Saturday against Dundee United and then we lost key players in the team, who would have started against Inverness.

“But the players who did play were fantastic and we should have got at least a point out of the

game.”

It was former Ayr United man Tom Walsh who punished the Honest Men at the weekend.

A cross from the left from Manny Duku hit the winger in the face and looped over Charlie Albinson and into the top left corner.

Hopkin said the freak goal was a sore one to lose for the Honest Men.

“The ball hit his face as Sean McGinty is trying to clear it and it is a goal that never should have happened.

He said: “It is not a goal as if Walsh or Inverness have done anything or it even being a mistake from us, it is a freak goal that has cost us the game.”

Next up for Ayr United is the hosting of Raith Rovers in another Scottish Championship clash.

Hopkin confirms the honest men may be short of players again for the fixture with more players testing positive this week.

The manager told us: “At this moment at time half of our squad is away, we had training on Monday morning with ten players and only one goalkeeper.

“Another few players have tested positive this week, so we do not know what is going to happen this week with training.”