Ayr United 1
Hamilton Academical 0
League (Championship)
Ayr UnitedAyr United |
1 - 01 - 0 |
Hamilton AcademicalHamilton Academical |
 |
League (Championship) |
 |
| Goalscorers | |
|
Josh Mullin (32) |
None. |
| Team Managers | |
|
Lee Bullen |
John Rankin |
| Starting Eleven | |
|
Charlie Albinson Sean McGinty Alex Kirk Patrick Reading Josh Mullin Nick McAllister Michael Hewitt Andy Murdoch Ben Dempsey Logan Chalmers Dipo Akinyemi |
1 Fulton 2 Doyle 4 O'Reilly 15 McGowan 3 Shiels 23 De Bolle 8 Martin 12 Sparrow 18 Mimnaugh 19 Winter 11 Smith |
| Bench | |
|
Aiden McAdams Kinlay Bilham Finn Ecrepont Jayden Mitchell-Lawson Mark McKenzie Fraser Bryden Sam Ashford Paul Smith 24. Scott Tomlinson |
5 Easton 10 Zanatta 17 Tiehi 25 Owens 31 Smith 37 McGinn 43 Forsyth 44 Latona 46 Morgan |
| Substitutions | |
|
Paul Smith for Andy Murdoch (3) Mark McKenzie for Michael Hewitt (70) Jayden Mitchell-Lawson for Logan Chalmers (83) Fraser Bryden for Dipo Akinyemi (83) |
2 Doyle Substituted for Owens 57'minutes 8 Martin Substituted forZanatta 77'minutes |
| Cautions | |
| None. |
Martin Doyle |
| Red Cards | |
| None. | None. |
| Match Officials | |
|
Calum Scott (Referee) |
Match Report
Ayr moved into second place in the Scottish Championship with a nervy win over Hamilton Academical at Somerset Park.
United deservedly went in front before half-time through Josh Mullin's deflected free-kick after a foul on Dipo Akinyemi.
Lee Bullen's side wobbled slightly after the break, but clung on to secure the three points.
Hamilton remain rooted to the foot of the table, six points behind Arbroath.
Ayr United manager Lee Bullen: "It was scrappy but it was all about getting the three points. Hamilton will beat someone sooner than later. We have to target promotion."
Hamilton Academical head coach John Rankin: "The new players made a difference but we need a break in the opposition box. There is a fight ahead but we are up for it."
Match report written by BBC
Squad Statistics (as at January 7th, 2023)
| 2022-23 | All Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Nat |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Charlie Albinson (GK) | 26 |
|
22 | - | 33 | - |
| Patrick Reading | 23 |
|
25 | - | 90 | 3 |
| Alex Kirk | 20 |
|
15 | 2 | 15 | 2 |
| Sean McGinty | 29 |
|
21 | 1 | 56 | 2 |
| Josh Mullin | - |
|
15 | 6 | 15 | 6 |
| Ben Dempsey | 23 |
|
26 | 4 | 33 | 4 |
| Andy Murdoch | 27 |
|
24 | 2 | 140 | 6 |
| Michael Hewitt | 22 |
|
7 | - | 20 | - |
| Nick McAllister | 21 |
|
17 | - | 30 | - |
| Dipo Akinyemi | 25 |
|
26 | 16 | 26 | 16 |
| Logan Chalmers | 22 |
|
11 | 3 | 11 | 3 |
| Jayden Mitchell-Lawson (sub) | - |
|
17 | 1 | 17 | 1 |
| Mark McKenzie (sub) | 22 |
|
24 | 3 | 96 | 7 |
| Paul Smith (sub) | 20 |
|
11 | - | 20 | - |
| Fraser Bryden (sub) | 18 |
|
9 | - | 21 | 1 |
League Table (as at January 7th, 2023)
| Pld | W | D | L | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Queen's Park | 20 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 39 |
| 2. | Ayr United | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 35 |
| 3. | Dundee | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 35 |
| 4. | Partick Thistle | 21 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 33 |
| 5. | Morton | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 30 |
| 6. | ICT | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 29 |
| 7. | Raith Rovers | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 28 |
| 8. | Cove Rangers | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
| 9. | Arbroath | 21 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 17 |
| 10. | Hamilton Academical | 20 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 11 |