Dundee defeat Ayr

Posted Saturday, October 26, 2019 by PA

Dundee defeat Ayr

Ayr’s bid to move top of the Ladbrokes Championship suffered a fresh blow as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Dundee in Mark Kerr’s first game in charge.

First-half goals from Declan McDaid, against his former club, and Paul McGowan set the visitors on their way at a rain-swept Somerset Park as Ayr crashed to a third successive league defeat.

A point would have been enough for The Honest Men to move above Dundee United at the top of the table, but they were playing catch-up from the 16th minute when man-of-the-match McDaid fired in the opener.

It was 2-0 in 32nd minute when McGowan slotted home the rebound after Ross Doohan had saved from Jordon Forster, and Dundee’s bid to bounce back from their shock home loss to rock-bottom Partick Thistle was well on track.

Ayr, for whom 37-year-old Kerr took over as manager this week, gave themselves a lifeline before half-time when Luke McCowan halved the deficit with a header, but they were unable to find a leveller in the second half.

Stephen Kelly, Alan Forrest and Ross Docherty all threatened for the home side after the break but could find no way past Dundee goalkeeper Conor Hazard.