Ayr United 4
Stranraer 1
Scottish Challenge Cup (Last 16)
Ayr UnitedAyr United |
4 - 14 - 1 |
StranraerStranraer |
 |
Scottish Challenge Cup (Last 16) |
 |
| Goalscorers | |
|
Curtis Main (11) Ben Dempsey (pen.) (42) George Finney (45) Dom Thomas (71) |
Ronan Hughes (22) |
| Team Managers | |
|
Scott Brown |
Unknown. |
| Starting Eleven | |
|
38. Liam Russel 4. Shaun Want 33. Scott McMann 20. Leon King 3. Liam Dick 55. George Finney 6. Stuart Bannigan 17. Jude Bonnar 8. Ben Dempsey 10. Curtis Main 7. Anton Dowds |
1 (G) J Lane 4 (D) L Reid 5 (D) S Rough 6 (D) S Docherty 22 (D) B Coll 10 (M) K McKnight (63) 15 (M) R Hughes (74) 23 (M) L Hunter (63) 7 (F) J Dolan Yellow card 11 (F) M Russell (63) 24 (F) D Lang (74) |
| Bench | |
|
1. David Mitchell 12. Aaron Brown 5. Kevin Holt 25. Kenzie Mitchell 11. Dom Thomas 35. Jack Simpson 36. Zach Smith 29. Lucas McRoberts |
13 (G) E Henderson 3 (D) F Ecrepont 14 (D) E Dunne 2 (M) J Stuart (63) 8 (M) A Quigg (74) 17 (M) D McManus (63) 18 (F) C O'Donnell (74) 52 (F) D Cleland (63) |
| Substitutions | |
|
Aaron Brown for Shaun Want (46) Dom Thomas for George Finney (64) Kevin Holt for Curtis Main (64) Jack Simpson for Ben Dempsey (78) Lucas McRoberts for Anton Dowds (78) |
None. |
| Cautions | |
|
Scott McMann (62) |
None. |
| Red Cards | |
| None. | None. |
| Match Officials | |
|
Colin Steven (Referee) |
Match Report
Ayr United handed a new signing his debut as they made comfortable work of a tie against League Two side Stranraer in the KDM Evolution Trophy.
Scott Brown's team secured their place in the quarter-finals thanks to a 4-1 win at Somerset Park on Tuesday, January 13.
The Ayr boss used the occasion to rotate his squad, with four changes from Saturday's Championship draw with Airdrie.
New signing George Finney, who arrived on a loan deal from Everton until the end of the season, made his debut.
Fifteen-year-old Zach Smith was also called up from the Ayr United Football Academy and took a place on the bench.
Ayr went ahead after just 11 minutes through Curtis Main, before Ronan Hughes replied for Stranraer shortly after.
However, two goals just before half-time from Ben Dempsey and new signing Finney put the hosts in control at the break.
Dom Thomas rounded off the scoring 20 minutes from time to ensure Ayr safely booked their place in the next round.
The draw for the quarter-final and semi-final of the tournament will be made at 1pm on Thursday, January 15, with quarter-final fixtures to be played on January 27 and 28.
Match report written by Ayr Advertiser
Squad Statistics (as at January 13th, 2026)
| 2025-26 | All Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Nat |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Liam Russel (GK) | 20 |
|
9 | - | 21 | - |
| Scott McMann | 29 |
|
29 | 2 | 70 | 3 |
| Shaun Want | 28 |
|
12 | - | 12 | - |
| George Finney | 18 |
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Liam Dick | 30 |
|
21 | - | 21 | - |
| Leon King | 21 |
|
18 | 1 | 18 | 1 |
| Stuart Bannigan | 33 |
|
20 | - | 21 | - |
| Ben Dempsey | 26 |
|
17 | 2 | 143 | 18 |
| Jude Bonnar | 20 |
|
21 | 1 | 21 | 1 |
| Anton Dowds | 29 |
|
18 | 3 | 60 | 26 |
| Curtis Main | 33 |
|
22 | 7 | 37 | 11 |
| Aaron Brown (sub) | 20 |
|
4 | - | 4 | - |
| Kevin Holt (sub) | 32 |
|
23 | 3 | 23 | 3 |
| Dom Thomas (sub) | 29 |
|
15 | 4 | 15 | 4 |
| Jack Simpson (sub) | 29 |
|
2 | - | 2 | - |
| Lucas McRoberts (sub) | 19 |
|
7 | 1 | 11 | 2 |
League Table (as at January 13th, 2026)
| Pld | W | D | L | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | St Johnstone | 21 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 45 |
| 2. | Partick Thistle | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 40 |
| 3. | Arbroath | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 36 |
| 4. | Ayr United | 21 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 29 |
| 5. | Dunfermline Athletic | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 26 |
| 6. | Raith Rovers | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 25 |
| 7. | Morton | 21 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 22 |
| 8. | Airdrieonians | 22 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 20 |
| 9. | Queen's Park | 19 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 18 |
| 10. | Ross County | 20 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 16 |