Ladbrokes League One

ALBION ROVERS 1

AYR UNITED 5

Report by Hugh Maxwell and Calum Campbell

Pictures by David Sargent

BACKED by 465 Honest Men, Ayr picked up in the league where they left off in the Betfred Cup with an emphatic 5 -1 win over Albion Rovers at the Exselgroupstadium.

Craig Moore bagged a hat-trick and with goals from Michael Moffat and Declan McDaid it proved to be yet another ruthless display with Connor Shields bagging a late consolation for Rovers in a game where Ayr were again in clinical form.

There was yet another early goal for Ayr, scoring after only two minutes. Michael Moffat received a long ball on the right and drove forward into the box before passing to Declan McDaid, who took a touch to steady himself before firing low past Bowman.

Craig Moore then saw a header at the back post go wide in 10 minutes before Albion had their first chance when Joao Victoria beat Craig Reid before seeing his shot blocked.

Ayr were then dealt a blow when Jamie Adams was forced off after suffering a fractured cheekbone in four places, a broken nose and fractured eye socket when Rovers centre-half, Ross Perry, came in late and headed the United man in the face. To add insult to injury, referee Graham Beaton, did not deem this challenge as dangerous and the Rovers’ man was lucky not to have been at least booked.

In 21 minutes a horrendous tackle by Rovers right-back Alan Reid on Robbie Crawford only merited a booking. With Crawford wide on the left near the halfway line, Reid launched himself forward and over the ball, his leading leg straight and with his studs making hard contact with the United midfielder’s lower shin and Reid’s trailing leg also making further contact.

Moffat pencilled himself onto the scoresheet in 34 minutes after neat link-up play with Moore, who flicked the ball beyond the defence and into the path of Moffat who side-stepped the defender and slotted home.

The Honest Men have shown no signs of mercy this season and made it 3-0 after only 39 minutes. Moffat pounced upon a mistake in the Rovers defence and latched onto a loose ball before rounding Bowman and cutting the ball across to Moore who had the simplest of tasks to tap in at the back post.

Albion had a chance to pull a goal back in 55 minutes when Victoria dribbled into the area but saw his shot blocked by the Ayr defence.

Ayr earned a penalty in 70 minutes when Moffat pounced on a slack back pass before rounding the keeper and being taken out by Bowman who appeared to have got the ball first. Moore slammed the ball down the middle.

United bagged their fifth goal through Moore in 79 minutes. Substitute Forrest dribbled the ball down to the byline and cut it back in the penalty area to Moore who again slammed the ball down the middle of the net with help from a slight deflection.

The home side were eventually to get a consolation when Shields fired high into the net from inside the area.

STARMAN

Craig Moore 3

Michael Moffat 2

Craig Reid 1