Livingston 0
Ayr United 1
League (Championship)
Livingston |
0 - 1 |
Ayr United |
 |
League (Championship) |
 |
| Goalscorers | |
| None. |
George Oakley (41) |
| Team Managers | |
| David Martindale |
Scott Brown |
| Starting Eleven | |
|
J Prior (G) 28 (83) M Clarke (D) 3 R McGowan (D) 5 D Finlayson (D) 19 M Nottingham (D) 21 (71) R McAlear (M) 6 (87) S Pittman (M) 8 (83) J Brandon (M) 12 Yellow card T Yengi (F) 9 Yellow card (71) L Smith (F) 15 S May (F) 17 |
Harry Stone .31 George Stanger .14 Scott McMann .33 Mickey Devlin .5 Patrick Reading .3 Jamie Murphy .15 Connor McLennan .10 Jay Henderson .17 Ben Dempsey .8 Nick McAllister .2 George Oakley .9 |
| Bench | |
|
Marcelo Pitaluga (G) 14 B Jackson (D) 4 D Wilson (D) 27 (71) S Kelly (M) 10 A Shinnie (M) 22 (71) L Sole (F) 7 (87) A Winter (F) 16 (83) R Muirhead (F) 23 (83) C Montano (F) 26 |
Jack McIntyre Roy Syla .20 Dylan Watret .32 Mark McKenzie .22 Ryan Howley Marcus Rus .23 David Craig .28 Alfie Bavidge |
| Substitutions | |
| None. |
Mark McKenzie for Jamie Murphy (63) Ryan Howley for Jay Henderson (80) Alfie Bavidge for George Oakley (87) |
| Cautions | |
| None. |
George Stanger Nick McAllister Patrick Reading Connor McLennan Jamie Murphy Alfie Bavidge |
| Red Cards | |
| None. | None. |
| Match Officials | |
|
Duncan Williams (Referee) |
Match Report
Ayr United remain in the Scottish Championship title hunt after denting the chances of hosts Livingston with a hard-fought win.
The only goal came four minutes from half-time after a sustained spell of pressure by the visitors.
Jay Henderson fired in across from the right and George Oakley guided in for what proved to be the winner.
Livingston were much better in the second period with Michael Nottingham and Teti Yengi - who had a goal disallowed in the first half - denied by blocks from the resolute Michael Devlin.
Ayr keeper Harry Stone then made a stunning save in the sixth minute of added on time when he somehow clawed away an effort that had glanced off the head of one of his defenders.
The win takes Ayr to within two points of second-placed Livingston - and seven behind Falkirk - and maintains their hopes of a title challenge into the New Year.
Match report written by BBC
Squad Statistics (as at December 21st, 2024)
| 2024-25 | All Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Nat |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Harry Stone (GK) | 22 |
|
13 | - | 13 | - |
| Mickey Devlin | 31 |
|
7 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Scott McMann | 28 |
|
19 | 1 | 19 | 1 |
| George Stanger | 24 |
|
26 | 1 | 60 | 3 |
| Patrick Reading | 25 |
|
23 | - | 166 | 3 |
| Nick McAllister | 23 |
|
16 | - | 93 | 3 |
| Ben Dempsey | 25 |
|
24 | 2 | 106 | 14 |
| Jay Henderson | 22 |
|
26 | 9 | 26 | 9 |
| Connor McLennan | 25 |
|
12 | 2 | 12 | 2 |
| Jamie Murphy | 35 |
|
17 | 3 | 56 | 10 |
| George Oakley | 29 |
|
26 | 7 | 26 | 7 |
| Mark McKenzie (sub) | 24 |
|
21 | 1 | 175 | 14 |
| Ryan Howley (sub) | - |
|
12 | - | 12 | - |
| Alfie Bavidge (sub) | 18 |
|
14 | 2 | 14 | 2 |
League Table (as at December 21st, 2024)
| Pld | W | D | L | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Falkirk | 18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 41 |
| 2. | Livingston | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 36 |
| 3. | Ayr United | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 34 |
| 4. | Partick Thistle | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 29 |
| 5. | Queen's Park | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 25 |
| 6. | Raith Rovers | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 21 |
| 7. | Morton | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 19 |
| 8. | Hamilton Academical | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 18 |
| 9. | Dunfermline Athletic | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 15 |
| 10. | Airdrieonians | 18 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 6 |