Ladbrokes League One

ALLOA 1

AYR UNITED 2

By Stewart McConnell

Pictures: David Sargent

A LAST gasp goal from super sub Craig Moore helped United extend their unbeaten run to 10 games after putting Alloa to the sword at Recreation Park.

They faced a tough test against a Wasps side who had won five straight games but displayed that little bit of extra quality to get over the finish line.

A header from Craig Malcolm glanced just over the bar from eight yards glanced narrowly over the bar. However less than a minute later United surged ages when Michael Moffat outjumped the home defence to powerfully head home a Declan McDaid cross from 10 yards and put the visitors ahead in just four minutes.

At the other end in six minutes Iain Flannigan shot narrowly wide from 18 yards.

United were forced into a change in 12 minutes when Andy Geggan was replaced by Craig McGuffie and two minutes later the injured Robbie Crawford was replaced by Craig Moore, after both suffered knocks.

Skipper Ross Docherty made a goal-line clearance to foil Scott Taggart in 15 minutes.

McGuffie sent a cross spinning across the face of goal in 17 minutes as Ayr kept attacking. A Chris Higgins header was punched over the bar by Neil Parry a minute later.

Good play by Flannigan won Alloa a corner in 19 minutes but the set-piece came to nothing. Then less than a minute later Paul Crossan had only visiting goalie Jordan Hart to beat from eight yards but sliced his shot wide.

Alloa had the ball in the net in 22 minutes when Crossan netted from 10 yards, but the flag had gone up for offside.

Moffat came so close to doubling the lead in 26 minutes when hid 25-yard rocket crashed off the crossbar.

A McDaid effort from 25 yards was was easily saved by Parry on the half hour as Ayr continued to have the upper hand. McDaid's cross into the box in 36 minutes was headed clear by Garry Fleming.

An effort from 20 yards from Moffat hit the advertising hoarding in 41 minutes.

Two minutes after the break Lawrence Shankland made a darting run into the box but his effort from 10 yards was well saved by Parry. Then a McDaid header from eight yards agonisingly hit the bar in 54 minutes.

David Ferguson made a good challenge to foil a home player outside the box three minutes later.

A strong shot by Moore was well handled by Parry in 59 minutes. Visiting defender Craig Reid was booked harshly for what looked a fair tackle a minute later.

Home player Callum Crane was booked for dissent in 66 minutes.

Moffat blazed over the bar from 20 yards two minutes later.

A Shankland shot from 12 yard was deflected wide by the Alloa defence in 71 minutes and seconds later a Moffat effort was saved.

However in 77 minutes Alloa levelled when Scott Taggart forced the ball home amidst a goalmouth scramble.

In 83 minutes McDaid, who had a great game, made way for Alan Forrest.

A shot from 12.yards by former Ayr man Kevin Cawley crashed off the post in 88 minutes.

Ferguson was booked for a challenge outside the box on Steven Hetherington a minute later.

United went ahead two minutes into injury-time when Docherty set up Craig Moore to knock the ball under Parry from eight yards, sending the sizeable contingent of supporters into delirium.

ALLOA ATHLETIC: Parry; Robertson, Graham, Taggart, Crane, Cawley, Fleming (Renton 74); Hetherington, Flannigan, Malcolm, Crossan (Cook 83). Subs not used: Martin, Hoggan, Monaghan, Goodwin, Wilson.

AYR UNITED: Hart; Ferguson, Reid, Rose, Higgins, Geggan (McGuffie 12); Docherty, Crawford (Moore 14); Moffat, Shankland, McDaid (Forrest 83). Subs not used: Gilmour, McGuffie, Faulds, Avci, Waite.

Referee: David Munro.

STARMAN

Michael Moffat 3

Ross Docherty 2

Craig Moore 1.