Ayr United:
1 C Samson, 2 R McGowan, 3 N McGowan, 4 B Gibson, 5 M Campbell, 6 R Stevenson, 7 D Keenan, 8 C Aitken, 9 K Cawley, 10 M Roberts, 11 R Borris
Subs: 12 K Connolly, 14 B Prunty, 15 A Woodburn, 16 D Gormley, 17 S Grindlay (GK)
Referee: Callum Murray
Attendance: 2,453
To no great surprise Gordon Chisholm named an unchanged team for the third successive game as Queens looked to secure their continued place on top of the first division. In fact the only change was on the subs bench where Neil Scally made a surprise return as goalkeeper in place of the unavailable Mark McGeown. David Weatherston was not risked as he continues his rehabilitation from hamstring problems. Another missing out through injury was Andy Aitken who was unable to take his place against his long term former employers. Brian Reid did include two ex-Queens players in his starting line up though in Craig Samson and Neil McGowan plus Stephen Grindlay was on the bench.
It was a low key opening and indeed I hadn't made any notes at all before Ayr were forced into a substitution after just nine minutes. Centre half Martyn Campbell was unable to continue and replaced by Kenny Connolly which meant a re-shuffle at the back and Keenan going into centre half. Ten minutes later Queens broke the deadlock. A free kick played into the box dropped for Burns and he laid it back outside to McKenna. The defensive midfielder isn't especially known for his creativity but he hung up a brilliant curling back post cross that Samson couldn't possibly come for. Only one person was getting near it, Derek Holmes. The centre forward rose above all to head home his 8th goal of the season.
Holmes heads home - Photo from David Gow
The home side attempted to hit back immediately and Hutton had to move smartly to smother a low curling Aitken free kick awarded somewhat controversially by Mr Murray. At the other end though it took a stretching McGowan header to deny Holmes a certain second as the former Queens defender cut out a searching McLaren cross. Minutes later Samson was down sharply to his left to save a McLaren shot as Queens moved up a gear. Lilley was next to try his luck with a powerful header from a Harris free kick but, with Samson stranded, the ball grazed past the top corner. Stephen McKenna though collected a booking on 36 minutes for a foul on Chris Aitken. As the interval approached Borris came closest yet for Ayr with a header after a Stevenson cross that flashed narrowly wide.
Lilley's effort flashes past - photo from David Gow
McLaughlan heads clear - photo from Haydn Gleed
The second half was just two minutes old when Stewart Kean was booked for a foul on Neil McGowan. Queens were continuing the push to kill the game off and Kean broke up the right before playing in a low cross to Holmes but the big man's flick goalward was blocked. Soon after Paul Burns was narrowly wide with a 25 yard effort. Next to try his luck was Holmes with a header from Quinn's free kick but Samson was equal to it. On a rare foray forward though, whilst David Lilley was off the park having his ankle strapped, Mark Roberts turned McLauchlan and fired in a shot that Hutton clutched at the second attempt. Moments later Cawley struck the post with a looping shot though whether it would have counted or not had it gone in was questionable as Mark Roberts only just missed flicking it and he was standing about five yards offside! That was Cawley's last touch as he was replaced by David Gormley who promptly picked up a booking within a minute for a foul on Reid.
Craig Reid had been badly shaken up by Gormley's challenge and lasted only a minute or two before having to go off to be replaced by Marc McAusland who, perhaps surprisingly, stepped straight in at right back. Five minutes later Queens had more full back problems when Stevenson lost control of the ball and followed through on Harris. He received a booking for his efforts and Harris struggled on after treatment. The bookings were beginning to mount up and Chris Aitken was next for a trip from behind on the breaking Quinn.
On 76 minutes Dennis Wyness replaced Kean and two minutes later the home side completed their changes when Prunty replaced Roberts. With 81 minutes on the clock Stevenson was narrowly wide with a 20 yard shot and Gordon Chisholm made his final change, Jamie McQuilken coming on for McLaren. The final five minutes were a little like the Alamo as Ayr launched everything forward but they couldn't breach a solid Queens rearguard and, when Hutton grasped the ball above his head from one final desperate header goalward a third straight clean sheet had been achieved. With Dundee beating Airdrie today that sets up a big top of the table clash at Dens next weekend.