Over 2100 supporters attended Somerset Park to support their team in this meeting of third versus fourth in the Championship where Ayr United held out to overcome a late comeback from Queen’s Park to take the spoils in a 5-goal encounter.
Callum Davidson made 2 changes to last week’s team that achieved victory against Dunfermline, Dom Thomas returning from a few weeks out with injury to replace Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, and Liam McLeish replacing the injured Zak Rudden upfront. A positional change saw Seb Drozd occupying a wide right position allowing Dom Thomas to play behind lone striker McLeish.
The opening 20 minutes saw both teams striving to put their own stamp on the game with very little action taking place at both goalmouths with the majority of play being contested in the midfield areas. Ayr continued to probe their right- hand channel through supplying Rus and Henderson with possession to test Queen’s defence which resulted in a number of corner kicks being conceded by Queen’s in the early stages.
Seb Drozd was beginning to show promise on the right flank working a couple of opportunities to test the Ayr defence but delayed his shot on a couple of occasions and the opportunity was lost.
On 23 minutes Queen’s put together their first real move of the match with Cammy Kerr receiving a return pass on the overlap on the right and cutting the ball back from the byeline to Dom Thomas whose shot from a central position inside the box from 16 yards was well hit but straight at keeper Russell who parried over the bar. From the resultant corner Ayr cleared the danger and Queen’s pressure was lost.
On 31 minutes the breakthrough eventually came courtesy of a soft penalty award to Ayr by referee Scott. A deep cross from the right into the box from Ayr’s most productive forward Jay Henderson saw Ayr’s centre forward, Oakley and Queen’s Cammy Kerr both compete for the aerial ball 6 yards out at the back post. It was adjudged Queen’s Kerr barged into the back of Oakley when ready to make a header and his claims were rewarded with a penalty.
Ayr’s Henderson coolly despatched the spot kick sending Queen’s keeper Ferrie the wrong way placing it to the Keeper’s left, into the net.
Further misery ensued for Queen’s around the 39-minute mark. After some scrappy play and missed tackles in the middle of the park, Ayr’s Rus was allowed to stride forward, draw the retreating Queen’s defenders and give a slide rule pass inside Fieldson to the onrushing McKenzie on the right flank who slotted home under the despairing dive by Queen’s Calum Ferrie.
Queen’s were awarded a free kick in a central position 20 yards out from the Ayr goal for an infringement, following a quick counter- attack. Dom Thomas struck the dead ball beating the Ayr Keeper but saw his effort strike the foot of the left hand upright and the resultant loose ball was cleared.
Half Time: Ayr United 2 -Queen’s Park 0
Queen’s made 2 changes at the break to bolster its left channel and find a way back into the game, Josh Scott and Josh Hinds replacing Fieldson and Duncan. Jack Thomson was showing a bit of grit to wrestle control of the midfield battle with Ayr’s Dempsey but was booked for his endeavours which appeared harsh given his opposite number was the instigator of the foul.
The first 15 minutes of the second half saw Ayr continue to crank up the pressure on the Queen’s defence and their intensity levels were unmatched by Queen’s allowing Ayr to have a number of half chances to increase their lead. Queen’s reacted by making further substitutions in the 62-minute, Jack Turner and Zach Mauchin making an appearance to replace Dom Thomas and Cammy Kerr.
Queen’s made their final change, Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia in place of McLeish on the 71 Minute in a bid to make an impression on the game. Three minutes into the game and his first involvement was to be booked for an innocuous challenge when attempting to close down a defensive clearance – his first challenge of the game.
In the 76 Minute Queen’s conceded a cheap foul to break up an Ayr attack on the right flank parallel to Queen’s 18 Yard line. A dangerous in-swinging delivery with pace had the Queen’s defence back peddling to their 6-yard box and Ayr’s Oakley was on hand to side foot a volley into the net from 5 yards.
Queen’s approach was to spread the game to their wide players on both flanks and it paid dividends in 81 minutes. Josh Hinds on the left wing embarked on a mazy dribble along the byeline, working infield in the penalty area to unleash an unstoppable right footed shot into the top right-hand corner of the Ayr net.
Two minutes later Queen’s cranked up the pressure on Ayr by scoring their second goal on 83 minutes. Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia was making a good impression on the right wing when in possession and provided a cut back to Jack Turner at the edge of the Ayr box who took a touch and fired a right footed shot from 18 yards which flew into the net courtesy of a slight deflection off an Ayr defender to leave the keeper helpless.
Queen’s by this time were pushing to grab an equaliser with Ayr feeling the pressure of losing 2 quick fire goals from a comfortable winning position.
In added time the game became more open and stretched. On one such breakaway, Ayr’s Hislop was back tracked and tackled by Rocco Hickey-Fuggacia in the Queen’s half which the referee harshly thought was a bookable offence and sent Hickey-Fufaccia off having received 2 yellow cards.
The match ended soon after and Ayr held on to take the 3 points and consolidate third position in the league ahead of Partick Thistle with Queen’s dropping a position to fifth.
Full Time: Ayr United 3 – Queen’s Park 2
Ayr United: Liam Russell, George Stanger, Mikey Devlin, Scott McMann; Mark McKenzie,
Ben Dempsey, Marco Rus (Ryan Howley ’68), Patrick Reading; Jay Henderson (Jake Hastie ’80), George Oakley, Connor McLennan (Jamie Hislop ’80).
Unused Substitutes: J McIntyre, R Syla, D Craig,
Queen’s Park: Calum Ferrie, Cammy Kerr (Zak Mauchin ’63), Will Tizzard, Dane Murray, Henry Fieldson (Josh Scott ’45); Sean Welsh, Jack Thomson, Seb Drozd, Ryan Duncan (Josh Hinds ’45); Dom Thomas (Jack Turner ’63), Liam McLeish (Rocco Hickey- Fugaccia ’70).
Unused Substitutes: J Wills, L Longridge, M Thomson, T Scott
Referee: Calum Scott
Starting Eleven
