Ayr United v Stenhousemuir FC

Match Report

Ayr United v Stenhousemuir at Somerset Park, Ayr on 23.11.13

SPFL Division One                            Att 986

Ayr United 4 [Moffat 4 pen, Donald 33, Moffat 71 pen, Kyle 85] Stenhousemuir 3 [Gemmell 14 pen, Dickson 18, McNeil 58]

Ayr United – Hutton, Hunter, Pope, McAusland, Lithgow [b66], McLaughlin, Marenghi, Crawford [Forrest 63], Moffat, Kyle and Donald [b88]. Subs not used – Malcolm, McGowan, Wardrope, McArthur, Longridge and Muir.

Stenhousemuir – C.Smith, R.Smith, McKinlay, Malone [b85], McMillan, Hodge, Dickson, Rowson, Gemmell [b70], Lynch and McNeil [Douglas 71]. Subs not used – Kouider-Aissa, Ferguson, Devlin, Shaw and Doherty.

Referee – Calum Murray              Assistants – Stuart MacAulay and David Dickinson.

The last two meetings at Somerset have seen the Warriors perform a late late show to get at least a share of the points. This time however there was to be such occurrence as they went down by the odd goal in seven.

Both teams have had leaky defences in recent games and this match was to highlight the deficiencies that unless rectified could have an adverse effects on any pushes for a play–off spot from either team.   

Ayr were gifted a chance in the 4^th minute of the game when they were awarded a penalty after Michael Moffat was pushed by Eddie Malone after the ball was played over the top of the Stenhousemuir defence. Moffat made the most of his opportunity by converting the spot kick. This gave the home side the boost that they needed and for a spell they pushed hard for a second goal but they only had a fruitless corner for all their efforts.

Stenhousemuir were rarely seen as an attacking force in the early stages but they were themselves awarded a penalty in the 14^th minute when Sean Lynch was tripped by Adam Hunter and John Gemmell fired the penalty into the net.  There then followed a period with the Warriors on top and they made the most of it when they took the lead four minutes later when Sean Dickson fired home from close range after good work by Ross McNeil created an opening .

Ayr were unlucky not to equalise in the 29^th minute when a Robbie Crawford strike was deflected just wide of the target and Scott McLaughlin was only millimetres away from making the vital contact to steer the ball into the net. At the other end Ross McNeil forced David Hutton into a save before Ayr scored the equaliser in the 33^rd minute.  McLaughlin’s corner was headed onto the bar by Michael Donald and in the ensuing scramble Donald was first to react to prod the ball into the net. Once again Stenhousemuir were culpable in conceding the goal as they really should have cleared their lines.

There was a let off for the visitors in the 51^st minute when Kyle was unable to convert a cross from only a few yards out striking the post when it seemed easier to score. This looked to be a costly miss when Stenhousemuir took the lead when Kevin McKinlay and Sean Lynch combined to set up McNeil who swivelled in the box before firing a low shot past Hutton. The keeper then made a brave save to deny McNeil his second after a John Gemmell flick on had set him free.

Stenhousemuir were having the better of the game at this stage but Ayr were given another chance to get on level terms when they were awarded their second penalty. It came when the standside assistant spotted an infringement on Alan Forrest and Moffat duly converted once again this time sending Chris Smith the wrong way.

The Warriors were to regret the fact that goal line technology is not a feature of the SPFL as they may have scored a fourth goal in the 75^th minute. The Warriors made a swift counter attack and when Sean Dickson played the ball out to Errol Douglas the striker fired a shot past Hutton only to see it strike both uprights with the curvature of the ball possibly seeing it cross the line. Nevertheless it was difficult for the officials to be certain and thus the score stayed level.

That was the state of the game until the 85^th minute when Ayr scored the winner with a simply executed goal with a free kick played into the box and Kyle used his aerial prowess to head home.   

This was to be Ayr’s first win over Stenhousemuir for eight games and although Stenhousemuir didn’t deserve to lose they were the architects of their own downfall with some soft goals conceded.