Falkirk boss John McGlynn questions attacking qualities after Ayr United defeat.

Falkirk boss John McGlynn questioned his team’s lack of “hunger, desire and bottle” in the final third after a insipid 1-0 defeat to Ayr United on Tuesday night.

The Bairns had the chance to cement top spot in Group G of the Premier Sports Cup with another victory, but they couldn’t follow up last Saturday’s 5-0 win over Edinburgh City with another strong showing.

And that leaves Gary Naysmith’s side in pole position to win the group with two home fixtures to come while Falkirk will need to beat Alloa Athletic and Stranraer and hope for a favour elsewhere.

Falkirk didn’t create enough, admits John McGlynn

“It’s disappointing, we never got going and didn’t create enough,” frustrated McGlynn admitted. “We were too slow in the build up, we got balls into the box but didn’t get people on the end of it.

“We didn’t defend a free kick and that led to a goal which made us have to really chase the game. We complicate things, Scott Tanser put in some great deliveries.

“We huffed and puffed elsewhere and didn’t have anyone with the hunger, desire or bottle to get their head on the end of something. We got a penalty and didn’t take it either, so it wasn’t our night. We got a get out of jail card and didn’t use it.

“That summed things up, we didn’t really get going. Ayr deserved to win and our goalkeeper was the busier of the two. We have to win our next two games now and see if that’s enough but it’s kind of out of our hands now.”

Reece Lyon’s first-half strike from range was deflected past Nicky Hogarth by Kevin Holt, and the Bairns had no answer to the visitors’ opener on the half hour mark.

A moment of quality finally came for Falkirk late on when substitute Ethan Ross darted past Kenzie Mitchell and won a penalty. But Ross MacIver, who netted a hat-trick last time out, gave Harry Stone an easy save with his low effort.

Ross MacIver goes from hat-trick high to penalty low

McGlynn added: “Ross was committed. You couldn’t really fault him up top. We didn’t get on the end of crosses but it can’t just be Ross doing that.

“He goes from the high of scoring a hat-trick to the low of not scoring a penalty. But that is the life of a striker, you will face ups and downs.”

New loan signing Ben Krauhaus, who made his debut after joining from Brentford for the season 24 hours earlier, was forced off after 38 minutes due to a head injury.

“Again, that summed up our night,” the boss continued. “Ben had to get stitches above his eye.”