Archives | Ayr United 1 Dunfermline 0

As Storm Bert hit Scotland with snow and heavy rain, Dunfermline made it to Somerset Park for MatchDay 15 in this season`s William Hill Championship. The team bus was severely delayed however and did not arrive until 2.50pm.

Only Livingston and Partick had so far left Ayr with points in this campaign but Dunfermline arrived in pursuit of a win. The Pars were without the injured Lewis McCann and Chris Hamilton was on the bench. That meant starts for Craig Clay and Dapo Mebude. Ayr United manager Scott Brown went with the same starting eleven as won 3-2 over Queen`s Park on the previous Saturday.

The kick off was delayed and it was 3:45 when Jay Henderson got the match underway with Ayr attacking the goal at the home end. Early indications of what the teams were up against came in 60 seconds when, after running on to a superb Kyle Benedictus pass, Kieran Ngwenya slipped as he prepared to cross into the Ayr box. Tobi Oluwayemi was the first keeper called into action to hold a dangerous delivery in from the left from Henderson in fifth minute.

Kane Ritchie-Hosler won the first corner of the afternoon but George Stanger was out early to defend Joe Chalmers seventh minute ball in from the right. Four minutes later Chris Kane flicked on a Ngwenya throw in but a disappointed Dapo Mebude could not get in his shot when in a good area. Next a Chalmers free kick created a problem for the Ayr keeper and under challenge from Benedictus saw the ball cleared away from his goal line by his defenders.

Ayr`s first real threat came in 19 minutes when Scott McMann released a cracking shot from 30 yards that was tipped over by Oluwayemi. The home side lost Mark McKenzie subbed after 21 minutes by Dylan Watret. The Ayr sub proved to be problematic producing two really dangerous deliveries into the Pars box before his 27th minute cross prompted bedlam in the six yard box and the combined efforts of the defence kept Ayr out.

An Ayr corner then almost came good for the Honest Men. Henderson delivered from the right, Mikey Devlin headed the ball down and it was Stanger who stuck it past the near post. Four minutes from the break as Ayr were enjoying more of the play Ben Dempsey fed Connor McLennan the chance to shoot from the edge of the box and the ball fizzed wide left of the visitors` goal.

It was added time at the end of the first half when Todd`s cross allowed Clay a shot on target but that was deflected for a corner that was defended all too easily.

Half Time: Ayr United 0 Dunfermline 0

Chris Hamilton replaced Craig Clay for the second half and Oluwayemi had to hold a net bound chip from Henderson in the first opportunity to affect the scoreline. In 56th minute Kane took advantage of a slack touch by Devlin. He raced towards goal, picked out Mebude to his left who returned it on to Kane`s left foot but Stanger stepped in to deny the shot. Then Oluwayemi held a strong header from Oakley before in 59 minutes Taylor Sutherland was introduced in place of Chris Kane.

Devlin was yellow carded for flattening Sutherland off the ball but the Fifers 65th minute free kick from 30 yards out failed to alter anything. On the counter Ayr switched the ball from Oakley through Rus to Watret wide right and he launched a shot that was saved by Oluwayemi. Next effort however from HENDERSON at the midpoint of the second half beat the Pars keeper. , again it was at an angle from the right with the on loan Ross County player giving the Pars keeper absolutely no chance as the ball flew high into the Dunfermline net. 1-0

Dunfermline`s immediate reply was a Mebude shot that was parried away by Russell. David Wotherspoon and Josh Cooper entered the fray as Todd and Chalmers were withdrawn and the away side forced two 80th minute corners that Ayr defended successfully. The two most recent subs combined from a setplay but Ayr snuffed out the danger after Cooper received the ball on the right side of the Ayr box.

Dunfermline never gave up but Ayr saw out the game to take all three points. The Pars stayed ninth and with the other Championship fixtures postponed, Ayr United moved into third place.

AYR UNITED: Liam Russell: Scott McMann, Michael Devlin, George Stanger, Patrick Reading: Marco Rus (Frankie Musonda 81), Ben Dempsey (c), Mark McKenzie (Dylan Watret 21), Conner McLennan (Jamie Murphy 70), George Oakley, Jay Henderson (Alfie Bavidge 81).
SUBS NOT USED: Nicholas McAllister, Ryan Howley, Jake Hastie, Roy Syla, Jack McIntyre (GK)
YELLOW CARDS: Rus (42), Devlin (65), Dempsey (77)
SCORER: Henderson (67)

DUNFERMLINE: Tobi Oluwayemi: Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus (c), Ewan Otoo: Kane Ritchie-Hosler, Craig Clay (Chris Hamilton HT) Joe Chalmers (Josh Cooper 74), Kieran Ngwenya: Matty Todd (David Wotherspoon 74): Dapo Mebude, Chris Kane (Taylor Sutherland 59).
SUBS NOT USED: Sam Fisher, Tommy Fogarty, Sam Young, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
YELLOW CARDS: Ritchie-Hosler (28), Clay (36), Comrie (62), Otoo (70)

REFEREE: Craig Napier
ATTENDANCE: 1701 inc 104 away fans
WEATHER: Wet 4°C