Ayr United have plenty in reserve

May 15 2009

Peterhead 2 Ayr United 3

SCOTT AGNEW curled home a spectacular free-kick winner as Ayr's shadow squad ended the regular season on a high.

And with five key players rested and Dean Keenan and Willie Easton dropping down to the bench, it ensured a fresh squad was ready for Wednesday night's play-off crunch at Brechin.

David Gormley and Kenny Connolly were also on the goal trail for a hungry Ayr who are determined to make up for the pain of losing the title to Raith.

Boss Brian Reid kept Scott Walker, Ryan Stevenson, Chris Aitken, Mark Roberts and Bryan Prunty wrapped in cotton wool for the crunch games that matter.

And in came United Academy teenagers Iain Fisher and Ross Robertson for their first taste of top team action with 16-year-old Fisher having the thrill of playing the last 20 minutes as a replacement for Allan Dempsie. Forgotten stopper Murray Henderson started only his third game this season.

Ayr dominated a goalless first-half when they did everything but score. Alex Williams chipped narrowly over while Ally Woodburn, making his first start of the season, drove just wide.

The hard working Gormley headed an effort over the top and then cracked a shot off the post as the Blue Toon defence creaked under pressure.

Ayr went close again a minute before the interval when Ryan Borris darted clear of the defence but saw his shot saved by keeper Paul Jarvie.

The second-half was only six minutes old when United got the breakthrough they richly deserved, Gormley making space in the box to lash home a great shot.

Five minutes later, Ayr struck again when Connolly headed home from six yards following a Williams cross.

Peterhead, who had rarely threatened in the first-half, woke up in 58 minutes when Graeme Sharp rounded Stephen Grindlay to score. Then Grindlay did well to turn a Calum MacDonald header on to the bar.

It was all square with eight minutes to go when Sharp buried a cracking shot into the roof of the net. But Ayr were eager to end on a high and they did so with five minutes to go when Agnew, who was starting his first game since February 7, bent a stunning 20 yard free-kick around the wall and into the top corner.

STAR MEN: ***David Gormley; **Kenny Connolly; *Allan Dempsie.

PETERHEAD - Jarvie; Donald, Smith, Mann (Skinner 68), Macdonald, McVitie (Moore 58), Sharp, Ross, Bavidge, Anderson (Gunn 58), McKay. Unused subs: Kula, Kozminski.

AYR - Grindlay; Dempsie (Fisher 71), McGowan (Easton 47), Henderson, Campbell (Keenan 47), Connolly, Borris, Woodburn, Grindlay, Williams, Agnew. Unused subs: Robertson, Mitchell.

Referee - R. Colvin; Crowd - 601.