Ayr started brightly in this match and were on the front foot in the opening exchanges at the impressive Loch Leven Community Campus in Kinross.
Craig McGuffie won a free kick on the edge of the box but David Richardson flighted it over. Richardson then won another free kick on the edge and this time the ball was rolled square to Ross Thomson who hit his drive well but straight at the keeper.
After 25 minutes the tall Pars striker slipped his marker with a neat turn and finished superbly into the corner of the Ayr net with his left peg to open the scoring for the home team and only two minutes a superb Pars passing movement resulted in the same player doubling the home side’s advantage with his right foot.
Ayr picked themselves up and a few minutes later a good move resulted in David McSorley putting a right foot effort wide of the target from inside the box and at the other end Ayr’s keeper Louis Kerr dived to save well from a 20 yard Pars drive just prior to the half time whistle.
The second half began with Ben Black, Reece Craig, Jared Keifer and Paul Miller replacing David McSorley, Lee Davidson, Lewis Walker and Chris Campbell.
Ayr started brightly taking the game to Dunfermline with the Ayr lads now having the wind at their backs and it only took two minutes to test the Pars keeper when Richardson hit a bouncing ball from the edge of the box but his effort drifted wide of the target . A few moments later McGuffie sent a great in swinging delivery from the right hand side in to the back post area with his left peg but unfortunately Ben Black just couldn’t apply the finishing touch.
The hosts were far from bystanders in the match and showed their attacking prowess once again on 50 minutes but once again Louis Kerr between the sticks for Ayr saved well close range.
55 minutes in though, Ayr managed to grab a goal back when Ben Black was adjudged to have been nudged from behind in the box and won his team a penalty that Richardson coolly slotted home to cut the deficit in half with 25 minutes remaining to play.
Ayr again came close on 60 minutes after a beautiful flick from Connor McMillan laid the ball square to Reece Craig whose 25 yard drive was a tremendous attempt from distance but was just too straight at the keeper who coped comfortably. Ross Thomson was next to try his luck and also went close from 25 yards when he fired in a free kick which the Pars keeper put round the post. From the resultant corner Lee Williamson rose well but his headed attempt was easily caught by the home side’s keeper.
Dunfermline’s front pairing were lively throughout the match with 15 minutes remaining, their tricky number 11 managed to fire on goal from 15 yards out but Jordan Ross who had replaced Louis Kerr in goal tipped away the chance away to thwart the danger. The same striker managed another couple of strikes on goal before the end but Ayr’s keeper Ross was more than equal to the challenge.
Chrissie Campbell, who had re-entered the game for Ross Campbell with five minutes remaining in an attempt to flood the home defence and he almost made an immediate impact when he hit a great effort from just outside the box which the Pars keeper tipped round the post.
Callum Smith was next up with an chance as he drove wide from the edge of the box as Ayr pressed for the leveller. Ayr were encamped in the Pars half now and when a free kick was flighted in , Paul Miller rose majestically around the penalty spot to flick on the header which went agonisingly wide right in the full time whistle to end an enjoyable and exciting match between the two sides.
Under 15s Coach Graeme Neill said: “Apart from a two minute lapse of concentration in the first half when we let them in for their two goals the boys did extremely well today to dominate large periods of this game. The response we got from the players after the two goals was superb and can’t be faulted for their effort.”
