After the previous week’s victory over Forfar the same starting eleven were selected for the first meeting between Stenhousemuir and Ayr United since the 1996/97 season. The attendance of 1,065 despite being a figure that Stenhousemuir could only dream about for a run of the mill game was actually the lowest league crowd at Somerset Park this season.
Stenhousemuir started the game brightly and almost broke the deadlock in the 6th minute of the game when Scott Dalziel just failed to get on the end of a Grant Anderson cross. Ayr however were always threatening without the real cutting edge and Campbell saw an effort fly just over from 25 yards in the 11th minute. The closest that they came though to scoring before McCann’s strike was an effort by McKay that just slid wide of the post and also an onrushing Ayr attacker.
It was not one way traffic though and with Pat Scullion seeing an effort gamthered at the second attempt by Crawford in the 35th minute and this was followed shortly afterwards when Paul Quinn managed to create an opportunity with a neat turn in the box but his effort after the initial good work was weak and another chance came when Grant Anderson beat Jon Tiffoney before cutting into the danger area but his effort was comfortably gathered by Crawford.
Stenhousemuir were to regret these missed opportunities when in the last minute of the first half. Martyn Campbell played a long ball that was misjudged by Scott Gibb and Danny McKay found room before firing past Ally Brown only to see his effort strike the upright and rebound into the danger area where Ryan McCann reacted quickly to dispatch the ball into the net.
Stenhousemuir had a chance to get back into the game just after the interval when Crawford was adjudged to have picked up a passback but with little room to work an opening Kevin Motion fired his effort into the defensive wall.
Ayr should have extended their lead in the 53rd minute when Tiffoney burst down the wing his cross picked out Andy Rodgers whose effort was blocked but fell to McKay and with the goal at his mercy fired over the bar from only 8 yards out.
In the 56th minute the Warrior’s fans were rejoicing when Jordan Smith headed home a Motion corner but the celebrations were brought to an abrupt end as referee Charlie Richmond disallowed the effort for an infringement.
The Honest Men were unlucky not to double their score in the 63rd minute when Eddie Malone saw an attacking header go just the wrong side of the post. Three minutes later Anderson saw a volley from close range also just miss the target.
Ayr for all their attacking play failed to test Ally Brown until the 78th minute when he had a fine stop with his feet to deny Scott McLaughlin after McKay had done well to hold off an Iain Thomson challenge. A minute later Campbell who had been a threat throughout was denied by Thomson who cleared the Ayr defender’s header off the line.