Ladbrokes League One

AIRDRIEONIANS 0

AYR UNITED 1

by Stewart McConnell

DETERMINED Ayr trumped the Diamonds for the second time this season to complete back-to-back wins and keep the pressure on leaders Dunfermline and second-placed Peterhead.

However they squandered a barrowload of chances and could have been punished against a lesser side. Indeed goalkeeper Greg Fleming had to make a stunning late save to make the points safe.

The Honest Men should have been out of sight long before full-time such was their dominance.

And boss Ian McCall admitted as much when he said afterwards: "We were just really wasteful in the second half. We had half a dozen opportunities to cut them open and put the game to be and we missed a couple of great chances. Greg Fleming had nothing to do all game but he had to make a great save to make with two minutes to go because it was 1-0 and that won us the points. But it's not easy coming to Airdrie because they are looking fit. But it was a good result for us."

United gave a debut to on-loan Rangers youngster Ross McCrorie with the teenager playing in midfield along with the impressive Brian Gilmour, who was back from suspension.

The opening exchanges were close with very little between the teams. A good run by Craig Moore in two minutes saw him find Ryan Stevenson from eight yards was deflected wide by a home defender.

Airdrie then came close when Jamie Bain shot narrowly wide from eight yards.

The Diamonds had the best chance of the match so far in seven minutes when a Bain shot from 22 yards produced a stunning reflex save from Greg Fleming.

United won a free-kick 30 yards out in eight minutes, however Mikey Donald's set-piece was easily saved by Neil Parry.Stevenson threaded a ball through from midfield in 12 minutes but found no takers as the home defence cleared easily.

The visitors came close when Gilmour had a shot from 20 yards saved by the home goalie. In 17 minutes. Less than a minute later Jordan Thomson shot narrowly wide from 14 yards.

Ayr were unlucky in 24 minutes when an Alan Forrest effort from 22 yards was well saved by Parry. Then a Bain free-kick from 22 yards was cleared by the Ayr defence in 28 minutes. Visiting striker Craig Moore was booked for kicking the ball away on the half hour.

Airdrie forged an opening in 34 minutes when Kieran MacDonald sent a cross-cum-shot well wide from 22 yards.

Alan Forrest aimed a through ball at Stevenson just inside the box in 40 minutes but the home defence cleared the danger. A minute later Moore shot well over the bar from 12 yards. Ayr were unlucky in 44 minutes when a Gilmour cross from just outside he box was headed narrowly wide from six yards by Moore.

However the pressure paid off as United scored right on half-time. Forrest played a ball through to ex-Airdrie man Paddy Boyle whose shot was deflected but Moore pounced to knock the ball home from eight yards.

Airdrie spurned a chance in 48 minutes when Bain shot well wide from 25 yards. Stevenson whipped a cross into the box in 52 minutes but found no takers. A Gilmour cross was headed wide from eight yards by Moore in 53 minutes.

Ayr should have scored again in 56 minutes when a ferocious Forrest rocket from eight yards was deflected wide by the alert Parry.

In 69 minutes sent Moore sent a superb pass to Gilmour to send a curling 22-yard effort just over the bar.

United came close to doubling their advantage in 71 minutes when loan signing McCrorie made a darting run into the box but shot just past the post from 10 yards. As the visitors kept pressing, Forrest found ex-Airdrie man Alan Trouten in 79 minutes but his effort was parried by the home goalie.

McCrorie raced to the edge of the box and had an effort deflected in 83 minutes and Forrest surged to the edge of the box only to send an effort wide a minute later.

Substitute striker Jordan Preston shot home in 86 minutes but the flag was up for offside.

Two minutes later Fleming produced a stunning reflex save to keep out a Jimmy Lister header from eight yards.

McCrorie saw his 20-yard shot week saved in the final minute as Ayr held on for a vital victory.

AYR UNITED: Fleming; Devlin, Boyle, Murphy, Graham, Stevenson (Preston 76); Gilmour (Docherty 80), McCrorie, Moore, Forrest, Donald (Trouten 61, Subs not used: Crawford, McLauchlan Wardrope, Newman.

STARMAN: Peter Murphy 3

Brian Gilmour 2

Ross McCrorie 1.