Ladbrokes League One

AYR UNITED 1

DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC 2

by Stewart McConnell

UNITED finally came crashing back down to earth as their 14-game unbeaten run came to a disappointing end at the hands of the Pars.

They went down to a visiting side who dug deep after being reduced to 10 men and now move three points clear at the top of the table.

And in a league of such fine margins the hosts will be hoping this is not being a season-defining match as it was the Fife side's second win inside a fortnight at Somerset Park and could give them a psychological advantage.

However the Honest Men have a game in hand over their rivals and we are not yet halfway through the season.

Later home boss Ian McCall admitted he was disappointed but could still take positives and said: "I'm not sure going down to 10 men helped us. To be fair Dunfermline were always a threat going forward. But we should never have allowed them the chance to score their second goal. But I felt we were very unfortunate to lose the game but over the course of the season it doesn't really matter. I can't really to be too harsh as that was our first defeat in 15 games and the players are hurting. They gave their all but it wasn't to be."

Ayr came close in the opening minute when a 25-yard shot from Alan Forrest was deflected wide by the visiting defence.

Two minutes later former Ayr striker Michael Moffat was booked for diving after going for the ball with home goalie Greg Fleming in what was a whirlwind start to the top-of-the-table clash.

United had a very lucky escape in 11 minutes when goalkeeper Greg Fleming misjudged a clearance but luckily Moffat blasted the rebound well wide from 12 yards.

Another opening came in 16 minutes when a cross broke to Ross Docherty whose 25-yard shot was easily saved by Sean Murdoch in 19 minutes.

Home defender Gerry McLachlan was booked for a foul just outside the box on Moffat five minutes later. The resultant free-kick from McAusland glanced narrowly wide.

The Pars were so close to breaking the deadlock in 29 minutes when a 12-yard angled drive from Faissal El Bakhtaoui squeezed inches wide of target after he had pounced on a loose ball.

Then Jason Talbot sent a precision pass to El Bakhtaoui whose low drive from eight yards was brilliantly saved by Fleming in 32 minutes. However a minute later the home goalie was picking the ball out of the net when Moffat outjumped the home defence to glance home a header from a Michael Paton cross.

Two minutes later though it was all-square when McLauchlan sent home a diving header from 12 yards after latching onto a Brian Gilmour cross.

Dunfermline were reduced to 10 men in 52 minutes when Joe Cardle was harshly booked for diving then given a straight red card for striking out at Peter Murphy.

This gave Ayr a clear advantage and they won a corner in 59 minutes after good play from Gilmour. However the set-piece from the same player was easily dealt with.

Robbie Crawford set up Donald whose effort from 12 yards was saved by Murdoch in 66 minutes. Then a minute later the hard-working Donald sent a rasping drive wide from 20 yards.

However in 69 minutes El Bakhtaoui crossed to the unmarked David Hopkirk who rounded Fleming and slotted home from six yards.

Ayr came close in 81 minutes when a Gilmour free-kick was cleared by the Pars defence. Murdoch saved a Paddy Boyle header on the line a minute later. As Ayr kept pressing Donald shot across the face of goal in 85 minutes . Three minutes later another Boyle header was saved on the line as the Pars held on to win.

AYR UNITED: Fleming; Gilmour, Boyle, Docherty (Donald 46), Graham (Devlin 53), Crawford, Murphy, Preston, Trouten (Caldwell 76); Forrest. Subs not used: Newman, Muir.

STARMAN: Brian Gilmour 3

Paddy Boyle 2

Peter Murphy 1.