Arsenal kid Alex Kirk admits he’s moved to Scotland to become a man in the Championship.
The 19-year-old centre-half, one of the rising stars of the Gunners Academy, is on loan at Ayr United this season.
He headed his first goal for the Honest Men against Cove, but insists he’d have given it up to win the game instead.
Kirk said: “It was bittersweet for me because we couldn’t get the win.
“On a personal level I enjoyed the goal, but the team is far more important.
“I’m grateful for every opportunity I’m getting from the manager up here and I’m ready whenever called upon.
“It’s a big change for me from everything I’m used to– both on and off the pitch – but I think I’m coping okay so far.
“I’ve settled in really well with the boys, the tougher part is getting used to the physical side of the game.
“That’s maybe not something I’ve had before in my career but it’s why I’ve come up and I’m enjoying it.
“I have contact with Arsenal each week to keep them updated on how life is going up here, and it’s all positive so far.”
Ayr twice gave up a lead against battling Cove as they missed the chance to go second in the table.
Hotshot Dipo Akinyemi had fired them into a first-half lead with a poacher’s finish for his 11th of the season.
But Connor Scully quickly put Cove on level terms after Charlie Albinson had parried Blair Yuille’s header.
Ayr were back in front before half-time when Kirk rose to head home his first ever senior goal from a Logan Chalmers corner.
The Arsenal loanee went close again with a long-range drive which Kyle Gourlay had to tip over the top.
But Cove were always in the game and Gerry McDonagh equalised just after half-time. Mitch Megginson almost won it for the visitors when he drew a great stop from Albinson.
United boss Lee Bullen said: “I’m delighted for Alex to get his first goal in professional football.
“At times it maybe looked like he was running on empty towards the end because of the nature of the game.
“And we’ve got to be mindful of the kid that it’s his first season in senior football.
“There are times we’ll have to protect him, other times we’ll have to just throw him back out there.”
