Ayr United 19s hosted Arbroath at Somerset Park on Sunday in what was to be their third league game of the new campaign. Ayr flew out the traps and within the first minute a move down the left between Ross Campbell and Robbie Crawford let in Ryan Nisbet who tested the goalkeeper with an early shot, only for it to be parried away to safety.

Ayr kept up the early pressure and in the second minute a first time pass was flicked on by Mark Shankland into the path of Andy Muir down the right. He played a first time cross into the box only for the defender to mis-hit his clearance, this rolled out to Peter McGill who lashed the ball home from 10 yards giving the Ayr boys an early lead.  Arbroath settled and came back into the game and could have had an equaliser in the 20th minute when they broke down the right. The Arbroath number eight played a low cross into the Ayr box, which was met by the Arbroath number 10, who blasted his first time effort high over the Ayr bar from eight yards out.

Ayr were next to test the Arbroath keeper when a move involving Mick Wardrope and Robbie Crawford in midfield let in Mark Shankland who cut inside his marker only to see his shot strike the crossbar and bounce agonisingly over.  Ayr started the second half looking a little more settled and in the 55th minute Mark Shankland was slid in by Mick Wardrope only for him to see his shot well saved by the Arbroath goalkeeper. Peter McGill was next to test the Arbroath goal when he cut in from the left. His low drive was parried out to Ryan Nisbet who blasted over the bar from short-range.

Ryan Nisbet then found himself on the end of a Stevie McCreadie through ball after good work in midfield by Mick Wardrope and Robbie Crawford, this resulted in a good block again from the Arbroath goalkeeper. Arbroath did break forward on occasion but were limited to efforts from outside the box, one which meant Hart in the Ayr goal had to react quickly whereby he did well to dive to his left to turn the ball round the post.

Ayr finally got their reward and scored their second goal in the 65th minute after Ross Campbell played in Peter McGill who cut in from the left, he struck a low shot to which the Arbroath goalie parried into the path of the on-rushing Mark Shankland who blasted the ball high into the Arbroath goal.

In the 76th minute Arbroath were given a lifeline by Ayr when a mix-up in the centre of the Ayr defence let in the Arbroath striker who smashed a low drive past Hart into the Ayr net. With 10 minutes to go a well worked move down the right involving Andy Muir and Ryan Nisbet let in Mark Shankland. His cut back to the edge of the 18 yard box was met by Stevie McCreadie, whose first time effort curled just past the Arbroath goalies left hand post.

After the game Ayr Coach Tom Robertson said, "The boys did well, creating a lot of good chances and scoring two well worked goals. I'm really happy with the overall standards they are setting and happy with the 3 points."   Ayr United: Hart, Muir, McArthur, Campbell, McCracken, McGill (McCreadie), Wardrope, Crawford, Nisbet, Shankland, McGill. Subs: McIntyre, Findlay and Dunn