Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (23 years 322 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Paul Ritchie (2004 years 170 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 30 years 130 days |
| Domestic Players: | 11 (100.00 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (23 years 322 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Paul Ritchie (2004 years 170 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 30 years 130 days |
| Domestic Players: | 16 (100.00 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
This was the management teams delayed home debut and it did not go well. It was also a record 100th game in a row for Dennis Wyness and Barry Robson's 150th appearance. The most disappointing statistic was the fact that this was the first ever Ayr victory against Caley Thistle in Inverness. A Roy McBain 20 yard shot was blocked in the first minute then Ayr struck two minutes later. A mishit by Mark Smyth fell kindly for Stewart Kean and he hit a first time low ball into the net from just inside the box. A minute later Mark Brown came out to save at the feet of Scott Chaplain then in 13 minutes Brown pushed a Kean close-range shot over the bar. For the rest of the half Ayr were pinned back but all attacks came to nothing. Ayr played five at the back and held on grimly to their lead throughout the game. Caley Thistle had by far the bulk of the possession but had great difficulty penetrating beyond the Ayr 18 yard line. Robson hit well past in 32 minutes then his low shot was easily saved in 41 minutes. In 44 minutes a strong Christie run gave some hope but he hit low and past. The second half was more of the same but Caley Thistle did threaten Craig Nelson's goal. A minute into the second half a high Wyness header was held by Nelson then a low Robson ball from the left was touched on by Wyness but Nelson again saved. On the hour mark Robson passed two defenders then stretched Nelson with a good low shot. There were long periods of scrappy play but Ayr could have gone two up in 74 minutes when a breakaway ball reached Kean in sight of goal but his first time shot was wild. Substitutes Richie Hart and Liam Keogh added some bite and in 80 minutes Keogh hit low past the post. Five minutes from time Nelson dropped a Robson cross but recovered to collect. Ayr were by now taking everything slowly and there was trouble for Lovering three minutes from time at a throw-in. His time wasting brought a yellow card then a second when he protested. There was no time to take advantage of the superior manpower. In the last minute Hart nearly came to the rescue but his strong shot from 22 yards whistled past. Ayr's Stephen Whalen had a chance in stoppage time but Brown came out to save, it broke back to Whalen but Stuart Golabek cleared. Time ran out and Falkirk's win against Arbroath took them back to the top spot.
Match report written by Ian Broadfoot
