STORY OF THE MATCH | AYR UNITED (A)

Dundee United came from behind to record a hard-fought three points against Ayr United and move four points clear of Raith Rovers at the top of the cinch Championship.

Less than 100 seconds had elapsed when Jack Walton was forced to pluck the ball out of his net for just the third time on the road this term. 

Liam Grimshaw felled Ayr wideman Jamie Murphy wide on the left, and the veteran dusted himself down and saw his resultant free-kick swirl in the Ayrhsire breeze and land in the top corner. 

United stopper Walton was then called into action once more as he made a crucial stop to deny Anton Dowds' venomous strike from inside the penalty area.

Louis Moult registered the visitors' first shot on target after being put through-one-on-one by David Wotherspoon, thwarted by the onrushing Charlie Albinson. The Terrors' number nine was perhaps hindered by losing a boot during his charge towards the penalty area.

Further chances for United continued to flow in the first-half, but Jim Goodwin's side lacked a ruthless streak in the final third, with Glenn Middleton, Wotherspoon and Alex Greive all threatening.

With the unrelenting gusts having a visible effect on both sides' ability to carry out their respective gameplans, a tactical switch-up was required to spark the tangerine comeback into life.

Both Tony Watt and Kai Fotheringham climbed from the bench on the hour mark, with the former taking just seven minutes to restore parity.

Collecting Liam Grimshaw's floated ball down the line, our Vice-Captain chopped inside Sean McGinty onto his weaker left foot and his reversed finish kissed the post before nestling into the back of Albinson's net.

As the hosts looked to regain the lead, Ben Dempsey carved out space for a strike from the edge of the area, only to find his net-bound strike blocked by Scott McMann on the slide.

This would prove to be a vital intervention, and with eight minutes to play, the league leaders found the winner.

Watt once again at the heart of proceedings, he showed poise to loft a delicate cross into the path of Ross Docherty, formerly of the Honest Men, on the burst into the area.

Facing an acute angle, the Skipper acrobatically hooked the ball on target to beat the 'keeper at his near post and raced off to celebrate in style.

Stoppage time brought the dismissal of George Stanger for a second bookable offence as Ayr's woes went from bad to worse, and United rode out the storm, both metaphorically and literally, to record their ninth league win away from home this season.