Lee Bullen insists Ayr can still shape their own play-off destiny after another stalemate on home soil.
Last night's draw with Queen's Park leaves United staring up at the top four with two games to play.
Just one win in six at Somerset has proved Ayr's Achilles Heel as they have dropped from the play-off places.
But Bullen is adamant his players can still get over the line with victories against Raith and then a final night shootout against rivals Inverness.
He said: "The equation for us is simple and we now have two games left knowing what we have to do.
"We have to aim for six points but I know I'd rather be in this position than battling down the bottom of the league like we were last season.
"We had the chances to win this one and I felt in the first half we controlled the game.
"Things became a bit stretched in the second half and it was like a basketball game at times, which is never ideal.
"In the end our keeper has the two biggest saves in the game but over the piece I felt we had done enough to maybe win it.
"Dipo (Akinyemi) has missed a great chance at the end where he's probably had too much time. If he's got a defender around him he just bullies him off the ball, takes it down and smashes it home.
"But he's won us games on his own this season and owes us absolutely nothing."
Bullen made two changes to the Ayr side which drew at Partick last week with Jayden Mitchell-Lawson and Jordan Houston coming in for starts.
And United almost got the dream start when a Houston cross was met by Sam Ashford but his header was tipped over by Calum Ferrie.
Ayr kept up their early pace and should have been in front when Reece McAlear teed up Akinyemi to fire inches over.
Akinyemi then turned provider for Ben Dempsey who shot high and wide as Queens struggled with the hosts' early thrust.
Dempsey was teed up with another clear sight of goal after good work from Mitchell-Lawson but shot straight at Ferrie.
And Ayr were almost caught cold at the other end just before half time.
Connor Shields crossed for Scott Williamson to draw a point blank save from Charlie Albinson.
Another McAlear free kick then sparked panic, only for Ashford's effort to be turned wide for a corner.
The Spiders began the second half in brighter fashion and were almost in front on the hour.
Shields drew a brilliant save from Albinson with a raking drive from 20 yards which the keeper saved at full stretch down to his right.
That prompted a response from Bullen with both Chris Maguire and Daire O'Connor coming off the bench.
And the changes almost had an immediate impact with O'Connor firing over after a lightning counter attack.
Spiders boss Coyle went into the book as tempers frayed with everything on the line for both sides.
The game began to stretch as it entered the final 15 minutes but neither could force the clear cut chances that would have yielded a massive three points.
Akinyemi came closest for Ayr with a free header in stoppage time which drifted tamely wide of the post.
