Ayr United 1 - 0 Inverness CT

League Match
Saturday, April 6th, 2002, 3:00 PM at Somerset Park
Attendance: 1,818
Referee: J Underhill
Ayr United Inverness CT

Goalscorers
Annand (65pen) None.

Team Managers
Gordon Dalziel Steve Paterson

Starting Eleven
Nelson
Robertson
Lovering
Duffy
Hughes
Craig
Wilson
McGinlay
Crabbe
Grady
Sheerin
Nicky Walker
Ross Tokely
Grant Munro
Bobby Mann
Charlie Christie
Barry Robson
David Bagan
Roy McBain
Russell Duncan
Martin Bavidge
Dennis Wyness

Bench
McLaughlin
Annand
Smyth
Sharp
Dodds
Jim Calder
Graeme Stewart
Neil MacDonald
Paul Ritchie

Substitutions
Annand -> Sheerin (62)
McLaughlin -> Grady (90)
Paul Ritchie for Dennis Wyness (67)
Graeme Stewart for Russell Duncan (74)
Neil MacDonald for Barry Robson (80)

Bookings
Duffy (32)
Hughes (39)
Charlie Christie (62)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Nicky Walker (GK) 33 apps -
Grant Munro 31 apps1 goal
Ross Tokely 194 apps12 goals
Bobby Mann 128 apps11 goals
Roy McBain 81 apps5 goals
David Bagan 56 apps11 goals
Barry Robson 122 apps14 goals
Charlie Christie 275 apps32 goals
Russell Duncan 37 apps1 goal
Martin Bavidge 119 apps19 goals
Dennis Wyness 112 apps52 goals
Graeme Stewart (sub) 26 apps -
Paul Ritchie (sub) 40 apps19 goals
Neil MacDonald (sub) 17 apps1 goal

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (23 years 35 days)
Oldest Player:Nicky Walker (2003 years 248 days)
Average Player Age:29 years 208 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (23 years 35 days)
Oldest Player:Nicky Walker (2003 years 248 days)
Average Player Age:33 years 256 days
Domestic Players:15 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Two battle-weary teams trying to shake off the spectre of relegation after a season of cup exploits. Ayr�s victory took them clear of the danger zone but Caley Thistle slipped to eighth and still need a couple of points to be safe. Caley Thistle put Ayr on the back foot for most of the first half and created an excellent chance in the second minute. A Barry Robson corner was headed on by Grant Munro to Bobby Mann but he could only head past. The Ayr defence dealt easily with a number of shots before Paul Sheerin whipped in a shot at the other end in 18 minutes and Ross Tokely was forced to divert it over the bar. A dangerous Robson corner was headed by John Hughes for a corner a minute later then Craig Nelson saved a Robson long shot. On the half hour mark Nicky Walker lost a John Robertson cross in the sun and James Grady sent a low header goalwards � Munro headed clear amidst Ayr shouts of hand ball. Ayr�s best first half chance came a minute later when Sheerin took a cross from the left and sidefooted it onto the bar. Play switched back to the other end up until half time but still there were no goals. The most dangerous effort came from Robson�s 24 yard free kick in 32 minutes which went low and just past. Caley Thistle continued to press just after the interval and there was a dangerous moment when Nelson failed to hold a Charlie Christie chip but it was cleared. Eddie Annand replaced Sheerin in 62 minutes and he changed the game. He was brought down by Robson in the box in 65 minutes when there appeared to be no real danger but it was a penalty � Annand took it himself and scored. This gave Ayr some confidence and they pushed for a second. In 68 minutes Pat McGinlay sent a ball into the box to well-placed Marvin Wilson but he failed to connect. Caley Thistle had a chance in 73 minutes when Duncan�s strong shot came off Hughes for a corner. Grady tried a lob in 75 minutes and it just cleared Walker�s bar. Nelson dived to save a Martin Bavidge shot in 79 minutes then in 85 minutes Hughes hooked away a Ritchie effort from the right. With two minutes left an Ayr breakaway caught the visitors� defence upfield and Wilson should have scored � in the end his shot was blocked. Caley Thistle must sweat it out for at least another week.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Partick Thistle 33 17 9 7 58 35 23 60
2. Airdrieonians 33 14 11 8 56 37 19 53
3. Ayr United 33 12 11 10 51 43 8 47
4. Ross County 33 13 8 12 48 41 7 47
5. Clyde 33 12 9 12 47 52 -5 45
6. St. Mirren 33 11 11 11 42 48 -6 44
7. Arbroath 33 13 5 15 39 56 -17 44
8. Inverness CT 33 12 7 14 56 50 6 43
9. Falkirk 33 10 6 17 49 73 -24 36
10. Raith Rovers 33 7 11 15 48 59 -11 32