David McCallum’s youngsters will continue their development and learning journey after being knocked out the SPFL Trust Trophy against the Honest Men this evening at Dumbarton.
Both teams started with intensity and intent from the first whistle, but it was the young Gers who nearly opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Cole McKinnon did well to link up with Adam Devine to weave in between the Ayr backline with a lovely delivery into Charlie Lindsay whose shot was blocked.
Only a few minutes later, Lindsay had another chance to put the Light Blues ahead. The young Ger broke down the right wing past several Ayr players towards the penalty box, but his strike was just wide of the post.
Rangers began to build momentum from this, driving into the visitors’ final third and intercepting important balls to maintain possession.
Tony Weston made an important interception from a back pass from Jordan Houston, the striker was able to control the ball and burst forward to the edge of the box where he was met by the remaining backline. Weston did well to dance past the white shirts and took a shot on the edge of the box, unfortunately his strike was deflected.
As the game entered the 21st minute, the ball fell into a congested Ayr box where it fell to Leon King. The defender tries to get a back-heel touch to the ball, but it was cleared by a defender.
Ayr picked up the pace and managed to find some space to play into the Rangers box, the ball rolled across the face of goal, but Robbie Fraser made an excellent clearance out of the Rangers area.
David McCallum’s side had a good spell of possession resulting in a dangerous cross from Fraser into Murray Miller. Miller was unable to keep his shot low and it went over the crossbar.
Daire O’Connor managed to break the deadlock for Ayr in the 40th minute of the game. O’Connor took a strike within a crowded Rangers box and unfortunately Wright was unable to get a hand to it, putting the visitor’s a goal up heading into the second half.
Ayr built their pace heading into the second half, pressing high into the Rangers box to create more opportunities for goal. Mark McKenzie drove down the right wing alongside Fraser, he managed to cut back past Fraser to take a shot on goal, but Lewis MacKinnon was there to clear.
Following this, O’Connor was on the look out for his second with a powerful strike inside a full box, but Wright made the exceptional save to deny the Ayrshire side another goal.
Rangers were seeking the equaliser, Weston made the run down the Ayr third and switched it to McKinnon to make a dangerous cross in the box. Unfortunately, Ross McCausland was unable to get a touch to it and it was cleared by a white shirt.
Joe Chalmers found the second for Ayr in the 74th minute. The Ayrshire side were awarded a free kick a few yards from the edge of the box, Chalmers’ strike flew over the heads of the wall and Wright was unable to get a hand to it.
A few minutes later, Marcus Fjortoft found the third and final goal from a corner crossed in by Steven Bradley.
RANGERS: Wright, King (C) (79), Devine, Fraser, MacKinnon, McCann, Miller (50), McKinnon, Lindsay, McCausland (81), Weston.
SUBS: Budinaukas, Ewen (76), Harkness, Strachan, Ritchie-Hosler (50), Ure (81).
AYR UNITED: McAdams, Houstan (81), Muirhead (57), McGinty, Moffat, O’Connor (67), Murdoch, Chalmers McKenzie (81), Fjortoft, Ecrepont.
SUBS: Albinson, Reading, Adeloye (81), Salkeld (57), Baird, Bradley (67), Bilham, Jeanes (81).
REFEREE: Steven Reid
ASSISTANT REFEREE’S: Drew Kirkland and Colin Drummond