PROUD Ayr United skipper Ross Docherty is determined to ensure the Honest Men finish the season in top spot after they hit the summit at the end of a memorable week.

United defeated a high-flying Arbroath side, who beat them at Somerset Park earlier in the campaign, a day after manager Ian McCall and experienced striker Michael Moffat won the Ladbrokes League One Manager and Player of the Month respectively for October.

During the month, United won two out of three games to maintain their promotion challenge, Moffat breaking through the 100-goal barrier with a hat-trick in the 5-0 win away to Forfar Athletic.

They are now top of the table on goal difference and enjoy Saturday off owing to the international break, with their next game at home to fellow high-flyers Raith Rovers next Tuesday, November 14.

Docherty, who took up the captain's armband for the first time this season was pleased with the recognition the club have received and said: "It's nice for Ian and Michael to pick up personal awards but it's also really good for the team as we have been doing well. Ian is great to work for when you consider where the club were when he took over. We are in a much better position than we were a couple of years ago, Michael is a really good player and although he didn't score on Saturday, his overall play was really good."

While pleased with the result on Saturday, Docherty feels the performance could have been better.

He said: "That's not the best we have played. I would say we weren't great in the first half but we picked up after the break and killed them off with three very quick goals. We caused them real problems when we had three up front. Arbroath are a very good side, you saw that when they beat us earlier in the season and the result possibly flattered us but it was great to win the game."

The captain hopes Lawrence Shankland, who has been signed until the end of the year stays on and said: "Lawrence is on a great player who has done well at a higher level but hopefully if we keep playing well that will make him want to stay on."

He admits other sides will be out to stop them now they are in front and added: "The others will want to knock us off our perch, that's what always happens but we want to win the league, that has always been our target. We had the day off on Monday but are now preparing for the game against Raith Rovers."