Match ends, Ayr United 0, St. Mirren 2.
Ayr United 0-2 St Mirren
By Chick Young
BBC Scotland at Somerset Park
- From the section Football
St Mirren cut the gap at the bottom of the Championship to five points with a precious victory over fellow strugglers Ayr United.
Second-half goals from John Sutton and Lewis Morgan at Somerset Park gave the Paisley club new hope and they still have a game in hand over United.
Sutton rounded the keeper to score from a tight angle on 51 minutes.
And Morgan finished calmly from a breakaway eight minutes from time as the home side were chasing the game.
The opening goal also came on a break, with experienced striker Sutton cracking the offside trap with a run timed to perfection.
He was one-on-one with Greg Fleming and, despite being forced wide, managed to force the ball home.
There followed a nervous period with both sides clearly petrified to put a foot wrong but the mood among the large visiting support was calmed with Morgan's strike.
Again Ayr were caught short in defence, this time in a four versus two situation and Morgan stroked in the finish at Fleming's left post.
St Mirren were the better team and were busy in the United area but only once created a clear-cut shot in the first half which forced a save from Fleming and it was a spectacular one too. Stevie Mallan's strike was net-bound until the Ayr goalie launched himself across his goal.
The urgency of the situation was clearly not lost on the St Mirren support. They contributed 1,244 paying customers in an attendance of 2,714 - making up almost half the crowd.
There is still huge work to be done for Saints but they did look a re-energised side. United, meanwhile, will point out that they have the points in the bag.
The Buddies play their game in hand at home to league leaders Hibs on Wednesday.
Line-ups
Ayr
- 1Fleming
- 22Balatoni
- 6MurphySubstituted forForrestat 65'minutes
- 18Meggatt
- 2Devlin
- 14Cairney
- 16AdamsSubstituted forRoseat 33'minutesBooked at 57mins
- 12Harkins
- 3BoyleSubstituted forWardropeat 45'minutes
- 15El Alagui
- 9MooreBooked at 61mins
Substitutes
- 4Gilmour
- 5Rose
- 10Forrest
- 19Hart
- 20Wardrope
- 21McGuffie
- 26McKenna
St Mirren
- 21O'Brien
- 2DemetriouBooked at 73mins
- 6Mackenzie
- 24DavisBooked at 16mins
- 44Eckersley
- 11SmithBooked at 54minsSubstituted forToddat 84'minutes
- 42Magennis
- 22McGinnBooked at 81mins
- 17Morgan
- 10MallanSubstituted forFjeldeat 90'minutes
- 9Sutton
Substitutes
- 1Langfield
- 3Irvine
- 15Baird
- 16Loy
- 20Storie
- 23Fjelde
- 25Todd
- Referee:
- Craig Thomson
- Attendance:
- 2,712
Match Stats
Home TeamAyrAway TeamSt Mirren
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home3
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away5
- Corners
- Home2
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away14
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Ayr United 0, St. Mirren 2.
Lewis Morgan (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Michael Wardrope (Ayr United).
Substitution
Substitution, St. Mirren. Paul Fjelde replaces Stephen Mallan.
Attempt blocked. Gary Harkins (Ayr United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Conrad Balatoni (Ayr United) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses the top left corner.
Corner, Ayr United. Conceded by Billy O'Brien.
Attempt saved. Gary Harkins (Ayr United) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom right corner.
Gary Harkins (Ayr United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Stephen McGinn (St. Mirren).
Substitution
Substitution, St. Mirren. Josh Todd replaces Cameron Smith.
Goal!
Goal! Ayr United 0, St. Mirren 2. Lewis Morgan (St. Mirren) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kyle Magennis.
Booking
Stephen McGinn (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Nicky Devlin (Ayr United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Stephen McGinn (St. Mirren).
Foul by Gary Harkins (Ayr United).
Stelios Demetriou (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Farid El Alagui (Ayr United).
(St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Stelios Demetriou (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Gary Harkins (Ayr United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Stelios Demetriou (St. Mirren).
Nicky Devlin (Ayr United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stephen Mallan (St. Mirren).
Nicky Devlin (Ayr United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by John Sutton (St. Mirren).
Substitution
Substitution, Ayr United. Alan Forrest replaces Peter Murphy because of an injury.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Daryll Meggatt.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Greg Fleming.
Attempt saved. Kyle Magennis (St. Mirren) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Booking
Craig Moore (Ayr United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Craig Moore (Ayr United).
Stelios Demetriou (St. Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Cameron Smith (St. Mirren) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Corner, St. Mirren. Conceded by Daryll Meggatt.
Booking
Michael Rose (Ayr United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Michael Rose (Ayr United).
Stephen McGinn (St. Mirren) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
Cameron Smith (St. Mirren) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.