Academy 15s v Dundee United 15s
Ayr United 15s welcomed Dundee United to Prestwick Academy on Sunday morning and it was Ayr who started the brightest when David Richardson tested the Dundee United keeper twice from distance within the first 10 minutes. However it was the Tangerines that nearly took the lead when a shot from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection but Louis Kerr adjusted his feet very quickly to make a superb stop.
The next chance fell to Ayr as Ross Thomson was alive in the Dundee Utd box to receive a short corner, he turned brilliantly to take a defender out the game but the keeper swooped to smother at his feet. Craig McGuffie then opened Dundee Utd up wide on the left. He squared a low and hard cross to Jai Holland to apply the finishing touch to put Ayr in front as he got across his marker to side foot home.
After 26 minutes, Craig McGuffie increased Ayr’s lead as he ghosted past three Dundee United defenders before firing into the bottom left hand corner for a superb solo goal. Dundee United came back into the game and their number 10 screwed a shot wide before Louis Kerr made another smart save diving to his left to keep out a Dundee Utd drive from the edge of the box. However it was Craig McGuffie that nearly scored again when he lobbed the Dundee United keeper. The final chance of the first half fell to Dundee United as they hit the post after a great cross took out the Ayr keeper but the attacker just couldn’t turn home as he smashed the woodwork.
The first half was excellent to watch with end to end football played by two attack minded teams. It was a great advert for youth football in this country and what made it all the more remarkable was that there was no referee! Unfortunately the referee had not turned up and both sets of players effectively ‘reffed’ the game themselves with the coaches hardly ever having to intervene. All the players on the pitch were a great credit to themselves and their respective clubs.
At the start of the second half the referee that was also due to take the Academy 17s match stepped in and took control for the remainder of the game. He let the game flow well and didn’t interrupt the talented lads on the pitch too much as the second half lived up to the first.
Dundee Utd’s no 10 threatened first as he just failed to connect properly with a great delivery from a corner and his header went just past the post. Louis Kerr again did brilliantly to punch clear another corner which was delivered with venom right in to the danger area.
However David Richardson gave Ayr a cushion from the spot as he cooly slotted home with the Tangerines keeper going in the opposite direction. The end to end stuff wasn’t finished though when the Dundee Utd no 9 then hit a ‘peach’ of a shot from 25 yards that was heading for the top corner but Louis Kerr managed clutch the ball safely.
Ayr then made the game safe by what can only be described as a candidate for goal of the season. The ball was played up to Jai Holland (pictured) who did brilliantly to take the ball down and turn his man in one swivelling movement. His second touch saw him smash the ball into the Dundee Utd keepers top right hand corner from fully 30 yards. What a goal!
In a bid to get back into the game, Dundee United pushed their no 10 up top and he got two late counters that were well deserved. The first when he volleyed home from a good cross and the second when he slipped the ball through the onrushing Louis Kerr’s legs. Ayr were understandably hanging on for the last 10 minutes but they saw the game out well.
Overall the passing and movement was great to watch at times and what an effort Ayr put in. In the first half the midfield controlled proceedings and Jai Holland, Craig McGuffie and Chrissie Campbell up front terrorised the tangerines. The second half was more even but this Ayr squad of under 15s go into “derby weekend” in great form. However as we all know in derby games form does tend to go out the window but next week against Killie should hold no fears. The boys are buzzing and everyone is looking forward to it already!
