Betfred Cup

AYR UNITED 2

STRANRAER 2 (Stranraer won 6-5 on penalties)

By Stewart McConnell. Pictures: Alister Firth

BELOW-par Ayr failed to make it to the knockout stages of the Betfred Cup as they crashed out to their South West derby rivals.

United blasted ahead with virtually the first move in two minutes when Michael Moffat pounced on a loose ball and shrugged off a challenge before squeezing the ball home.

Sam Roscoe sent Michael Moffat through but the big striker saw his shot from the edge of the box blocked in 18 minutes.

United came very close in 33 minutes when a Kris Doolan header was well saved by Dale Burgess.

A Kelly shot from 20 yards was headed off the line.

However the Blues levelled in 40 minutes when a Pignatello cross was headed home by the unmarked Adam Cummins.

Ayr restored their lead in 42 minutes when Kelly blasted home a stunning free-kick from outside the box.

Cummins notched his second in 86 minutes, heading powerfully home from eight yards to square the contest.

Into the shootout and Craig McGuffie, Moffat, Alan Forrest and Steven Bell nettled for Ayr

The visitors converted their first five kicks before Danny Harvie had his effort saved and Thomson drilled home the winning kick.

AYR UNITED: Doohan; Harvie, Roscoe, Moffat, Doolan (McGuffie 53) McCowan (Forrest 75) Ferguson, Bell, Murdoch, Docherty, Kelly (Kerr 67) Subs not used: Hare-Reid, Muirhead, Ross, McKenzie.