ALAN FORREST was insistent that the penalty he gained – and converted – for Ayr during their 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle was legitimate after the full-time whistle.

 

Forrest made the most of a defensive mix-up from the home side and went down in the box following the slightest of contact from Thistle’s Lee O’Connor, who was in disbelief about the decision.

 

“I think if you watch it yourself you’ll see [there was little in it],” O’Connor said. “I’m not going to go into it much but if you watch the replay you can see it. It’s not inexperience, I’ve not done anything.”

 

The on-loan Celtic full-back was convinced that the penalty was somewhat soft, as was Jags manager Ian McCall, but Forrest was adamant that the referee made the correct call.

 

"At the time I thought it was a penalty,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if it would be given so I was just glad to get it. We still got the penalty and still scored so I was pleased.

 

“We knew a win would have taken us second but it was never a given. Thistle done well and a draw was probably fair. We have St Johnstone on Saturday [in the Scottish Cup] and we will go into the game with the same attitude that we showed against Ross County. It will be a hard one for us but hopefully we can come through.”

 

Forrest signed a pre-contract agreement with Livingston earlier this week and so will be guaranteed Premiership football next season, even if Ayr fail in their bid for promotion.

 

However, the 23-year-old says that he remains fully-focused on the job at hand at Ayr – and is looking forward to the possibility of lining up against his older brother James for the first time.

 

“It will be good to play against James but it will be a bit weird as well,” he said. “We have never played against one another.

 

“Here at Ayr we have played against a few top flight teams but Celtic have never been one of them so it will something new to play against him.

 

“I am still focused on Ayr for the rest of the season. I want us to finish as high as we can. Dundee United look as though they will win it but I don’t see why we can’t go up through the play-offs so the focus now is about finishing as high as we can.

 

“I am glad to still be here and helping us towards the end of the season.”