Three goals, one red card and a plethora of chances as Ayr United pulled themselves up to 6th place in the Championship table with a frustrated Livingston side dropping to fourth.
David Martindale returned to the dugout for the first time in front of a home crowd since taking over as interim head coach following the sacking of Glen Whelan. Martindale, who has been in charge of Livi many a time before, named an unchanged side from their victory over Raith Rovers two weeks ago.
Gary Naysmith’s Ayr United have had a stop-start season so far and haven’t been able to string a series of results together. However, they were hoping their fortunes would change as he brought in Dick, Holt and Stirton in place of Landers, Summers and Hatton.
This fixture had the promise of a cracking game, and it certainly delivered in the first half, with three goals and one red card.
It only took eight minutes for Ayr United to find the opener as Ross Taylor’s blistering pace carried him down the wing, with McGowan frazzled. The winger then wonderfully chopped the ball back inside the box before rolling it into the path of Stirton, who placed the ball into the bottom corner. 0-1.
Livingston continued to challenge the Honest Men and reaped their rewards in the 18th minute as they were awarded a clear-as-day penalty. Watret very clumsily slid into his own box with his arm raised well above the natural position, making the penalty decision rather easy for the referee. Who other than fan favourite Muirhead to take the spot kick? He arrowed the ball into the bottom corner to draw Livi level. 1-1.
Ayr United’s push for another goal was halted drastically as, on the 21st-minute mark, Ross Taylor was uncharacteristically sent off for a challenge on Montano. However, the Livingston player looked to make rather a show of the challenge, with the referee very quick to brandish a red card, leaving Gary Naysmith rightly furious on the touchline.
It was the 10 men of Ayr who pulled ahead, poetically, 10 minutes before the close of the half. A free kick was swung into the box and wasn’t cleared by Livi, which afforded McBeth time and plenty of space to catch the ball on the bounce and drill it into the net beyond the outstretched arm of Prior. 1-2.
Ayr will have felt aggrieved — well, their fans were at least — that Doherty wasn’t shown a red card minutes before half-time. The Livi player was extremely lucky to avoid a red for a high, late and rather dangerous boot, a massive let-off for Livi.
It was wave after wave of attack from Livingston as they searched for an equaliser, although Ayr weathered the storm and ran out the victors.
Livingston had no better opportunity to pull the score level than on the hour mark, as Palmer’s shot from close range was spectacularly cleared off the line by Dick, who threw every fibre of his being at the ball to block it- a heroic stop from the defender.
Just one minute later, Doherty cut inside on his favoured left foot and watched as his curling effort pulled just wide of the post. This was another monumental chance for Livi which was squandered.
Livingston were on the prowl for their equaliser, and who knows how one of their many chances didn’t ripple the back of the net, with Ayr certainly breathing a sigh of relief.
Doherty had yet another chance which he passed up as his thumping header in the 75th minute flew over the bar.
The whole home stand were out of their seats as Doherty whipped the ball in and, with Anderson free in the middle of the box, his bullet header whistled inches past the post — another warning sign from the hosts.
Despite chance after chance, a disjointed Livingston fell to defeat, with the home support making their feelings heard at full-time. On the other hand, Ayr travel back down the road knowing they put a shift in to hold onto their lead from the 35th minute.
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