Ayr United 2
Dunfermline Athletic 4
League (League One)

Match Report

Ayr United let a two goal lead slip against Dunfermline at the weekend in the fourth meeting between the sides this season, ultimately losing 4-2.

After striding two goals in front courtesy of Gilmour and Moffat, Dunfermline worked their way back into proceedings with a goal before half time before notching three in the second period.

Ayr were unchanged from the side that lost 3-0 to Rangers with Kyle McAusland returning to the squad and named on the bench.

The conditions were wild throughout the game, with the wind and rain swirling around Somerset Park

United had the wind at their backs in the first half and looked to take advantage of the wintry conditions.

After 16 minutes, Brian Gilmour gave Ayr the lead with a sublime goal that will live long in the memory. The 26-year-old picked the ball up on the halfway line before unleashing a fierce drive which looped over the head of Ryan Scully, much to the astonishment of the Somerset Park crowd.

10 minutes later, United made it two as the wind wreaked havoc within the Dunfermline rearguard. A long ball wasn’t dealt with by the Pars allowing Michael Moffat the chance to pile pressure on Ryan Scully before rounding the hapless goalkeeper and sliding the ball home.

Despite Ayr’s dominance, Dunfermline gave themselves a lifeline on the stroke of half-time with a blistering Steven Husband drive.

In the second period, it was the Pars who had the forward momentum and after 59 minutes, they drew level after Alan Forrest conceded a penalty which Ryan Wallace dispatched.

Dunfermline then continued to knock on the door and soon went ahead through Wallace, who notched his second of the game, slamming home from outside the box.

Ayr attempted to get back in the game but their hopes of snatching a point were ended when Jordan Moore lashed the ball beyond David Hutton in the closing stages.

After the game, a dejected Mark Roberts said: “If we didn’t concede that goal before half-time I’m sure we would have gone on to win the game.

“Our first goal was the best goal I’ve seen at Somerset Park from a guy who’s on a different level from a lot of players in this league.

“The wind had nothing to do with that goal as I’ve seen him score from the halfway line a few times in training. He can score from anywhere.

“The second goal was crazy as well. I wasn’t happy with the second half performance though and to lose 4 goals after being 2-0 up is absolutely rotten.

“The positives we can take is the first half performance but I turned to my coaches after we scored our second, and said we need a third goal. It certainly proved to be the case.

“We’ve got a lot of winnable games coming up and with the players we’ve got, we should be picking up a lot of points, so it’s up to us to go on a winning run.”

Brian Gilmour said: “I’ve scored from the halfway line before so when I got the ball in my own half I had a look up and saw the goalkeeper standing outside his six yard box so I thought I would give it go.

“It was just disappointing we didn’t go on to win as the goal before half-time allowed them a way back into the game.

“We were all gutted after the game and all the players take the blame for the defeat so it’s up to us to bounce back now.”

Match report written by AUFC Online