Hinchcliffe
Tait Rowe Ritchie Florence
Brownlie Cargill McAulay
McKinnon McInally
Bayne
Substitutes: Wight, Gardner, Swankie, Mallan, Cusick
Manager, John Brownlie, made several changes from the side which went out of the Scottish Cup to Inverness Caley Thistle bringing back the suspended Andy Cargill and also playing Paul Brownlie and John McAulay from the start. Kevin Heenan and John McGlashan were missing from the squad. Chances were few and far between although Arbroath had the upper hand in the first half but could not turn their supremacy into goals. Colin McKinnon had the best chance to put the Lichties ahead towards the end of the half but his blistering effort went just wide of the visitors goal.
The match came to light in the second period but it was United who were to benefit from a penalty decision when Innes Ritchie was adjudged to have brought down Grady in the penalty box. The visitors scored from the spot. Arbroath tried to fight their way back into the game after this set back, but with men pushing forward, the defence was put under pressure from the Ayr forwards and we paid the penalty by conceding a second goal. Arbroath were unable to score and had to settle for a disappointing 2 nil defeat.