Ayr United Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Cove Rangers 1 Ayr United 2

cinch Championship

Sat 20th August Balmoral Stadium

A disjointed and lacklustre performance saw Cove lose a league game at Balmoral Stadium for the first time in fifteen months, the defeat made even more painful by the loss of three key men through injury.

With Blair Yule still sidelined because of his ankle problem, and Evan Towler unavailable through illness, boss Jim McIntyre made two changes to the side beaten in Inverness last weekend, and went with his favoured back four set-up.

Morgyn Neill and Jamie Masson dropped to the bench, with new signing Charlie Gilmour handed a debut and Iain Vigurs restored to the midfield.

Ayr United went into the match as one of just two unbeaten sides in the division, draws with Arbroath and Hamilton either side of their remarkable comeback away to Queen’s Park. They were to end the day at the top of the Championship table.

The visitors dominated the first half and came close to scoring on a number of occasions.

Akinyemi came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock, his well struck angled shot from the edge of the box crashing back off the face of the crossbar.

It took some last ditch defending and good goalkeeping to keep the score goalless, but we finally showed some resistance, and very nearly snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Dunne and Megginson worked well down the left to tee-up Scully. His cross found Leitch at the back post, and the winger’s effort looked in all the way, only for Dempsey to clear off his line. As the ball bobbled around, Fyvie was quickest to react, but his hook shot soared just wide of the left post.

“We finally showed some resistance, and very nearly snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time”

Ayr continued to look the more dangerous side though, and Akinyemi drove over from 25 yards after a short free kick from Reading. The Englishman then skipped away from Neill to set the ball on a plate for McKenzie eight yards out. Gourlay saved the midfielder’s first shot, then Reynolds blocked his second from the rebound. In doing so, Mark was injured, and the physio was on for the fourth time in the game.

With almost an hour on the clock, Ayr finally went ahead, but were able to do so thanks to what looked a harsh penalty call from referee Lambie.

O’Connor’s driven cross from the left struck Mark Reynolds on the arm from close range and the official was quick to sound his whistle. DEMPSEY coolly rolled the ball into the net as Gourlay dived to his right.

Jim McIntyre then rung the changes, McIntosh and Longstaff on for Vigurs and Leitch, but before the substitutes could get involved, it was two-nil.

More shocking defending allowed Ayr space in and around the penalty area, and as the ball bounced across the box, not a single home player was alert enough, allowing AKINYEMI the simple task of dinking it past Gourlay from close range.

Kyle then had to dive low to grab an O’Connor twenty-yarder at his left post.

With the game deep into injury-time, we finally made the breakthrough. As McDonagh gathered the ball just inside the box, and tried to turn, his legs were swept from him by Houston for a clear penalty.

Jamie MASSON stepped-up and made a consummate job from the spot, driving the ball just inside Albinson’s left post. It was to be nothing more than a consolation, and in truth, put a more respectable gloss on the scoreline than the performance deserved.

(4-4-1-1)

Gourlay; Logan, Ross (Neill 30), Reynolds (Masson 75), Dunne; Leitch (Longstaff 67), Gilmour, Vigurs (McIntosh 67), Scully; Fyvie; Megginson (c) (McDonagh 46)

Subs

McKenzie, Thomas

Goalscorers

Masson (pen 90)

Ayr United

(4-4-1-1)

Albinson; Houston, Musonda, Kirk, Reading; O’Connor (Ecrepont 88), Murdoch (c), Dempsey, Ashford (Bangala 86); McKenzie (McGinty 90); Akinyemi

Subs

McConnell, Hewitt, Smith, McAllister, Moffat, Bilham

Goalscorers

Dempsey (pen, 59), Akinyemi (68)

Referee

Scott Lambie

Attendance

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