Ayr United slump to defeat against Queen's Park.

FOR the second season in a row, United have failed to progress from the first round of the Irn Bru Cup against a club from a lower league, writes Calum Campbell.
Last year it was Montrose who knocked out the Honest Men on penalties and this year it was Queen’s Park’s turn in a similar fashion. 
In a mind-numbingly dull match, where both sets of fans cheered and applauded an announcement after 90 minutes that there would be no extra time, Ayr were held to a goalless draw by their League Two opposition.
And to add to their agony, former keeper, Jordan Hart predictably turned out to be the Spiders’ hero, saving both Andy Murdoch and Alan Forrest’s penalties in a 4 – 2 penalty shootout win.
United gaffer Ian McCall shuffled his team after their tip to Inverness on Saturday, resting Moffat, Geggan, Adams, and Kerr while giving new signing Liam Smith his first start, at right back, and bringing in Luke McCowan, Craig Moore, Steven Bell and Craig McGuffie to the starting 11.
Pink-stripped United dominated the open play throughout the 90 minutes but failed to create any real chances while Queens Park appeared content to frustrate United with their solid and well routine defence, ably marshalled by former United defender Gerry McLauchlan who seemed to relish the challenges set. 
The first half saw few attempts on goal with Ayr seeing attacks breaking down against an impenetrable wall of Spiders, while lacking the guile and strength of a Michael Moffat and Lawrence Shankland partnership up front to break through. 
It was, however, surprising that it was the home side who came closest to opening the scoring in 22 minutes. Mortimer dribbled through the United defence on the right and into the penalty and released a shot that Ross Doohan did well to get down to at full stretch and tip wide. This was the closest that either side would come to scoring in the entire 90 minutes of open play. 
Ayr failed to get a shot on target in the opening half, with a Docherty drive in 34 minutes from 25 yards, which went wide, the closest attempt by United.
United came out in the second half attempting to increase the pressure on Queens Park and in 48 minutes Declan McDaid got the ball through to Moore, but his shot went just wide. Four minutes later and it was McDaid’s turn to have a go, but his shot after a speedy Ayr attack, went over. 
Ayr were struggling to get close, being closed down at speed and in numbers by Queen's Park and finding it hard to find the time or composure to create affective chances.  McCall decided to freshen things up by replacing McGuffie with Shankland in 57 minutes, Moore with Forrest six minutes later and Robbie Crawford with Ross Docherty in 72 minutes.
Ayr stepped up a gear, pushing Queens Park into a deeper and deeper defensive position, but still failed to find a way through. Ninety minutes concluded and it all came down to a penalty shootout.
First, United goalie Doohan dived to his right to save from ex-United midfielder Jamie McKernon, but this would be his last save of the night. Rose put Ayr 1-0 up but then Gibson brought the Spiders all square. 
It seemed written in the stars that Ayr’s title winning keeper Jordan Hart would come back to haunt his former team mates, and so it was to be.
First the keeper saved from Murdoch, sticking out his leg as he dived away from the shot, to frustrate the United midfielder.