Ayr Utd. vs East Fife preview - Ayr without Willis

Ayr United are without Paul Willis for their match with East Fife after the on-loan winger returned to Dunfermline.

However, defender Jim Lauchlan should return to bolster the Honest Men following their 3-2 defeat to the same opposition in midweek.

Dean Keenan remains out but Eddie Malone is available after a two-game ban.

Martyn Campbell is a doubt with a hamstring problem and Somerset Park manager Brian Reid is determined to end a run of three straight defeats.

Reid said, "Injuries and suspensions have affected us recently, when we have been playing two games a week, but our bad run needs to end now.

"We have not secured a play-off place yet and need to keep going until we do."

East Fife are without Stevie Campbell, Robert Sloan, Jim Hamilton and Craig Johnstone.

New Bayview boss John Robertson has asked his players to reproduce the form that saw them win 3-2 against the Honest Men.

He said: "It is always hard to play back-to-back games against the same opposition especially a team that have the quality in their ranks like Ayr do."

"We beat them down at their place recently as well so I would imagine that they will be incredibly well fired up for this game.

"A win keeps a play-off spot in sight for us, however we still have to look over our shoulder at what is happening in the bottom half of the table."