Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1
Ayr United 2
League (League (Championship))
ICT |
1 - 2 |
Ayr United |
 |
League (League (Championship)) |
 |
| Goalscorers | |
| Shaw (81'minutes) |
Josh Mullin (35) Mark McKenzie (88) |
| Team Managers | |
| Billy Dodds |
Lee Bullen |
| Starting Eleven | |
|
1 Ridgers 2 Duffy 5 Deas 6 Devine 3 Harper 20 Henderson 18 Allardice 4 Welsh 22 Shaw 17 Mackay 9 Mckay |
Charlie Albinson Frankie Musonda Patrick Reading Sean McGinty Michael Hewitt Josh Mullin Ben Dempsey Andy Murdoch Sam Ashford Dipo Akinyemi Chris Maguire |
| Bench | |
|
8 Carson 10 Doran 12 MacGregor 16 Hyde 21 MacKay 23 Delaney 24 Samuels 28 Woods 30 Boyd |
Aiden McAdams Carter Jenkins Nick McAllister Daire OConnor Mark McKenzie Reece Mcalear Jayden Mitchell-Lawson Fraser Bryden Paul Smith |
| Substitutions | |
|
2 Duffy for Carson 45'minutes 6 Devine for Delaney 73'minutes 18 Allardice for Hyde 73'minutes 4 Welsh for Woods 79'minutes 17 Mackay for Samuels 45'minutes |
Reece Mcalear for Sam Ashford (64) Mark McKenzie for Josh Mullin (76) Jayden Mitchell-Lawson for Chris Maguire (76) Daire OConnor for Patrick Reading (86) Fraser Bryden for Andy Murdoch (86) |
| Cautions | |
| Henderson |
Charlie Albinson |
| Red Cards | |
| None. | None. |
| Match Officials | |
|
Don Robertson (Referee) |
Match Report
Mark McKenzie's 88th-minute strike propelled Ayr United from fifth to second and into the Scottish Championship play-offs as Scottish Cup finalists Inverness Caledonian Thistle missed out.
Josh Mullin's fine first-half finish had Ayr in control and on course for second, only for Nathan Shaw to score for Inverness on 81 minutes and put both teams out of the top four.
But McKenzie finished from Daire O'Connor's cross to propel Ayr back up the table.
That sparked wild scenes from the travelling fans and their side held on to ensure they go straight to the semi-finals of the play-offs, where they will face either Queen's Park or Partick Thistle.
Inverness had made a late charge for the play-offs, but finish sixth and are left to rue an injury-hit season, though they have the consolation of the Scottish Cup final against Celtic on 3 June.
Lee Bullen, Ayr United manager: "I think both teams played a massive part in that game, [it was] an emotional rollercoaster. I do feel for [Inverness manager] Billy [Dodds], yes obviously we are absolutely delighted to get there.
"But his team in that second half, I thought we controlled the first half, but his team in that second half deserve a lot credit."
Match report written by BBC
Squad Statistics (as at May 5th, 2023)
| 2022-23 | All Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Nat |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Charlie Albinson (GK) | 26 |
|
38 | - | 49 | - |
| Frankie Musonda | 25 |
|
28 | 2 | 28 | 2 |
| Sean McGinty | 29 |
|
40 | 3 | 75 | 4 |
| Patrick Reading | 23 |
|
44 | - | 109 | 3 |
| Josh Mullin | - |
|
24 | 9 | 24 | 9 |
| Michael Hewitt | 22 |
|
16 | - | 29 | - |
| Andy Murdoch | 28 |
|
32 | 2 | 148 | 6 |
| Ben Dempsey | 23 |
|
44 | 8 | 51 | 8 |
| Chris Maguire | - |
|
13 | - | 13 | - |
| Dipo Akinyemi | 25 |
|
45 | 25 | 45 | 25 |
| Sam Ashford | 27 |
|
39 | 3 | 52 | 5 |
| Daire OConnor (sub) | 26 |
|
29 | 1 | 54 | 2 |
| Jayden Mitchell-Lawson (sub) | - |
|
32 | 2 | 32 | 2 |
| Reece Mcalear (sub) | 21 |
|
16 | - | 16 | - |
| Mark McKenzie (sub) | 22 |
|
40 | 5 | 112 | 9 |
| Fraser Bryden (sub) | 18 |
|
19 | 2 | 31 | 3 |
League Table (as at May 5th, 2023)
| Pld | W | D | L | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dundee | 35 | 17 | 12 | 6 | 63 |
| 2. | Ayr United | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 58 |
| 3. | Queen's Park | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 58 |
| 4. | Morton | 36 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 57 |
| 5. | ICT | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 55 |
| 6. | Partick Thistle | 35 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 54 |
| 7. | Raith Rovers | 36 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 43 |
| 8. | Arbroath | 36 | 6 | 16 | 14 | 34 |
| 9. | Hamilton Academical | 36 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 31 |
| 10. | Cove Rangers | 36 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 31 |