Arbroath vs Ayr preview - Doris hamstrung for Arbroath

Arbroath striker Steven Doris sustained a hamstring injury in Wednesday night's 2-1 defeat to Alloa and he misses out when Ayr come calling.

The Red Lichties are also without Mark Baxter through work commitments and Graham Bayne, who has sustained a dead leg, with player-manager Paul Sheerin telling his men to be ready for a scrap.

Sheerin said: "Ayr will see this as a must-win game to get into the play-off race so we need to be ready for that approach.

"In fact, with the play-off race as tight as it is, every week between now and the end of the season will be a scrap.

"Having both main strikers injured is disappointing but we will just have to get on with things."

Ayr have suffered a blow in the build-up to the trip as defender Chris Smith has been ruled out with a heel problem.

The Honest Men also lost Kyle McAusland earlier this week when he broke a bone in his hand in training to join long-term injury absentees Martyn Campbell and Michael McGowan in missing out.

Player-manager Mark Roberts, who is considering starting himself in a bid to fire his side to a vital win, said: "We are still in with a great shout of making the play-offs if we win this game.

"In fact, if we win our next two games we go above Arbroath and that is a far better picture than falling nine points behind them by losing.

"They are usually a very strong side at home and they will be looking to get back to that after losing to Alloa on Wednesday."