On what was a chilly Tuesday night at Glebe Park, Andy O’Connell’s 70th minute strike was enough for United to see off a resolute Brechin City and march on into the fourth round of the Scottish Cup where they will play Queen’s Park at Somerset on January 21.

Ayr manager, Ian McCall told the Advertiser: “I thought Brechin were terrific and really aggressive in what they did. I think we deserved the win but we didn’t play well at all. But it’s a cup tie, it’s about winning and we won.”

With five first team regulars missing, Brechin set out to make this match difficult for their Championship opponents, with a well organised defensive backline and a hard-working midfield which gave United little time on the ball. For their efforts, they limited Ayr to only a few chances throughout the first half although the Ayrshire men appeared comfortable with Docherty impressing in the centre of midfield.

When Ayr did carve out openings, former United keeper Graeme Smith was on top form and kept Brechin in the game. The first of his saves came on 21 minutes when an Adams shot from the edge of the box seemed to be creeping in at the right-hand post but somehow the Brechin keeper got down to turn the ball wide. On 35 minutes O’Connell broke into the box on the right and rifled a shot towards the net only for Smith to spectacularly tip the ball over the top when the crowd expected to see the net bulge.

Brechin were limited to few chances in the first 45 minutes and posed the posed the Honest Men little problems with former Ayr striker Ross Caldwell very quiet and located deep in the impressive Conrad Balatoni’s pocket.

The second half settled into a similar pattern to the first with Brechin still to have a shot on target and Ayr pressing forward but being thwarted by resolute defending. Jamie Adams and Gary Harkins twice had efforts blocked in the opening 10 minutes of the half then, out of the blue, Brechin almost snatched the lead.

A deflected cross from the right somehow reached Brechin winger Ally Love, in acres of space just four yards out, but keeper Greg Fleming produced an excellent reaction save to the dismay of the home support.

On 70 minutes Ayr finally got the breakthrough. Harkins was fouled some 20 yards out and McGuffie set up as if to play the ball into the box. Harkins broke left and McGuffie slipped the ball through to him. With exquisite skill Harkins drove to the bye line before whipping the ball across to the unmarked O’Connell who turned and smacked the ball into the net.

Although Brechin tried everything they could in the last 20 minutes, Ayr were quite comfortable and only an excellent double save by Smith from Harkins and substitute Alan Forrest stopped Ayr from doubling their lead.

Ayr now return to league duties on Saturday with a challenging fixture at East End Park against Dunfermline Athletic.

BRECHIN CITY: G Smith; Fusco, E Smith, Hill, Dyer, Ford, Rodger, Lynas, Love, Caldwell, Buchanan. Subs: McCormack, Dods, Graham, O’Neil.

AYR UNITED: Fleming; Devlin, Boyle, Meggatt, Balatoni, Crawford, Docherty, Adams, McGuffie, Harkins, O’Connell. Subs: Avci; Gilmour, Rose, Forrest, Donald, Wardrope.