Josh Mullin reckons Ayr's stunned players were in the dark about their play-off plight - until the cavalry arrived from the bench.
Nathan Shaw's 82nd minute equaliser for Inverness on Friday night sent United tumbling out of the top four.
But Mullin - who by that time had been withdrawn - reckons half the players on the pitch had no idea about the gravity of their situation during a chaotic end to the game.
He confessed: "I was on the bench when it went to 1-1 so could see what was going on in the other games. To suddenly find ourselves down in fifth place was an absolute rollercoaster.
"It was only when they equalised that we paid any attention to events elsewhere and realised we were out the top four.
"But I'm not sure if the message was getting through to the other lads!
"The gaffer chucked on Fraser Bryden and Daire O'Connor and took off defenders, so the boys could probably read between the lines.
"We actually set up for all of these scenarios in training and I think it definitely paid off.
"Then we get a winner and it's outstanding. Football can throw up all sorts of emotions but that was incredible."
Ayr now await the winners of the play-off quarter final between Queen's Park and Partick Thistle - and Mullin believes United will fear nobody moving forward.
He added: "Those teams will be looking at it and thinking they don't really want to play us.
"Whoever we get, we get, we can't change it. We've played everyone and beaten them this season so we'll take it as it comes."
