Five Alive For 19s

This match really was a game of two halves. 

Ayr had started the game very strongly and hadn't allowed Annan any possession of the ball before Moore scored Ayr's first goal with a looping back post header on three minutes.

The home side dominated all the early stages and Moore added a second on the half hour mark but the first signs of a lack of concentration were creeping into the Ayr teams game and allowed Annan to claw one back after some poor defending, however the two goal deficit was soon resumed when Connolly scored with a good individual effort. 

The second half had barely started again when another defensive blunder allowed a tap in from the Annan centre forward but this seemed to wake up the Ayr again with Paterson heading up the other end to give the Ayr side a two goal again. Paterson then added his second and the Ayr fifth when he made a strong run through between the centre backs slotting the ball home under the keeper. Annan however completed the scoring when another slip up in the Ayr back line cost the Ayr team another goal.

Coach Stephen McMillan said afterwards "We really are a frustrating team, at times good to watch and are creating lots of chances and scoring a few goals, but defensively we need to improve, we are making far too many individual errors, which at this level will get punished. The lads need to learn quickly and gives us plenty to work on at that side of their game, but another victory and lots of positives can be taken from this game."

Ayr's 17s lined up for their fourth league game protecting a 100% record and at the end of ninety minutes it was still intact.

Ayr introduced striker Tommy March for his first start since returning to the club and Dale McCormack replaced skipper JJ Hawkshaw at centre half due to illness. Ayr were also without Chris McFadzean who was injured last week but introduced Chris Kelly from the under 16 squad.

Ayr couldn't have asked for a better start and after only two minutes Cammy Marlow knocked the ball into the path of Andrew Muir who drove forward and slammed the ball past the visiting keeper. Scott Aitken had the ball in the net on 20 but the referee adjudged him to be offside. However Ayr added their second after 30 minutes when some great closing down by March saw the keeper only half clear the ball to the feet of Lee Lockhart and he finished brilliantly from 30 yards but less than a minute later, Ayr suffered a lapse in concentration as the visitors got a goal back.

 

It was one way traffic in the second half and the football on show was breathtaking at times with Lockhart bossing down the right flank and Marlow and Barr doing all the hard work in the middle. Ayr were awarded a free kick on the right and left back Jack McClymont curled the ball towards the far post but yet again the Arbroath keeper reacted well to save low but this time Muir was on hand to slam the ball home for his second and Ayr's third. 

 

The visitors did get a second on 53 minutes after Ayr went to sleep and allowed Arbroath to take a short corner on the right  with their striker reacting first to slam it home and pull the margin back to only one goal. 

 

On the hour mark Lockhart took a quick free kick to Marlow who then hammered the ball home from all of 30 yards to re-establish the 2 goal margin and then on 75 minutes, Ayr were thwarted by a wonder save. Lockhart delivered a perfect corner which was volleyed towards goal by Dean Marshall who showed great "tekkers" to keep the ball down but the keeper touched it over the bar.

 

Then sub Forsyth got on the scoresheet as another cross found it's way to the back post and he neatly returned it into the bottom corner off the post to make it give the home side a three goal lead again. Only two minutes later, Ayr added another with a 25 yard thunderbolt from Marlow, this time skimming in of the underside of the bar. And it was left to the days last sub, Deci Milligan to round of the scoring in the 87th minute after a neat interchange of passes with Forsyth when he tucked the ball in at the far post to see Ayr finish in Seventh heaven !!!

Manager Allan Paul said afterwards "This was a great display from Ayr with a devastating display of fast moving football. It truly was a great "squad" effort as the changes in the starting line up did not affect the end result which sees Ayr with full points from their opening four games."
15s put on a Gr-eight show!!

Ayr 15s travelled to Broadwood and put on a terrific show in front of the watching Brian Reid who was mightily impressed by the young Ayr squad.

Ayr opened brightly and put the Clyde defence under pressure right from the off. Liam Anderson opened the scoring with a fine angled drive after being put through on goal by Alan Forrest. Ryan Nisbett soon made it two with a shot from the edge of the box. Ayr where looking dangerous with every attack and Aedan Keegan soon made it three with a cracking drive.

The second period saw Ayr continue to play their brand of a high tempo passing game. Steven McCarrison and Nisbett both had chances before Nisbett scored his second with a clever lob over the onrushing keeper. Ayr continued to press and big Ross Campbell pushed forward to score from an Ayr corner.

The third period saw a determined rearguard refusing to concede any ground while Ayr attacking players looked dangerous every time they broke forward. Liam Anderson scored his second after a great run and cross from Jason Filippi and then Nizzy rounded off his hat trick with another clever lob over the keeper. Liam Anderson was not to be outdone though and completed his own hat trick with a fine curling shot from the edge of the area.

This was a fantastic team performance all round with eight excellent goals and a clean sheet to boot!!