Arbroath will be left wondering quite how they left Somerset Park empty handed after two mistakes allowed Ayr United to claim all three points.
Ben Summers and Ross Taylor scored in either half as the Honest Men claimed an opening day 2-0 victory and Colin Hamilton and David Gold were left wondering just how their side didn’t find the net.
The Lichties first line-up of the Championship campaign saw league debuts handed to Sean Mackie, Scott Constable and Scott McGill, while Andy Winter also began on his return to the club.
It was a quiet opening half hour as to be expected for the first game of the season, with Owen Stirton having a free-kick and glancing header easily held by Aidan McAdams in the only real half chances of the match’s opening stages.
Arbroath’s most promising efforts of the half came from a number of corners in quick succession soon after. Scott Stewart’s dangerous looking cross was turned behind for the first of those, with the final delivery being palmed away by Harry Stone under heavy pressure, before Stewart himself volleyed over.
Moments later though the Lichties looked destined to open the scoring when a show from Winter was parried to the feet of Ryan Dow who somehow didn’t open the scoring, with the ball coming off a home defender and past the post.
Dylan Watret linked up with Stirton before firing a powerful shot just wide shortly before half-time, but Arbroath didn’t heed that warning and fell behind a minute before the break. Summers was afforded too much space on the left before sending a low strike through McAdams and into the back of the net.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, albeit Arbroath were looking the more likely, and really should have equalised when another clever set-piece found Tam O’Brien who looked certain to score but was denied by a fantastic stop from Harry Stone.
Their pressure continued with Ayr camped in their own half and Scott Robinson was next to go close with a shot that forced another save from Stone, but completely against the run of play, the hosts made sure of the three points.
Ryan Flynn tried to force a pass forward but saw it come back off an opponent with the spin of the ball completely confusing O’Brien, allowing Taylor to steal possession and break forward before staying composed to slot the ball into the back of the net.
Ayr United: Stone; King, (Dick, 54’) McBeth, Holt; Watret, McKenzie, Lyon, Summers (Murphy, 75’), Mitchell (Want, 75’); Shanks (Taylor, 14’), Stirton
Arbroath: McAdams; Stewart, Watson, O’Brien, Mackie; Constable, McGill (Flynn, 66’); McKenna, Winter (Robinson, 66’), Dow (Daly, 80’); Reilly (Beattie, 86’)
Attendance: 1,992 (118 away)
