Let’s home in on third, says Livi star Barr

After winning four straight away matches, Barr says the players are desperate to turn around four defeats in a row in West Lothian – and catch Falkirk, who sit three points ahead of them in the league table in that third place.

After a fine 3-0 win at Raith Rovers on Tuesday evening, Saturday’s match gives John Hughes’ men the chance to register their first victory of the season over the Somerset Park men.

Barr said: “It was a good result on Tuesday night. We played well. The preparation was a bit up in the air with the rain and we were thinking it might be off, but all the boys kept their minds focused and did well.

“We played some really good stuff, defended well and it was nice to get a clean sheet for the first time in a while. That’s something we’d have liked to have been better at lately, but we’ve been getting good results away from home so I guess we can’t complain too much.

“As a defender it’s always that extra special to keep a clean sheet. We’ve got a good run going, but we want to finish as well as we can now knowing we’re only three points behind Falkirk.

The opposition tomorrow won’t make it easy for the Lions, with Brian Reid’s side having registered three wins and a draw in the four meetings between the sides this campaign.

And Barr is well aware of that threat: “We know this season how difficult Ayr are to play against and they seem to have had the measure of us.

“Given we went so long at home without losing until only a few months back, it would be nice to get back to that sort of form.

“I don’t know if it’s combination of factors that has meant we’re now performing better away or what, but we want to play well in front of the home fans and make it a formidable venue again.”