Arbroath fell victim to Ayr United’s new manager bounce as their 11-game unbeaten run came to an end in a 1-0 defeat at Somerset Park.
Lee Bullen took charge of his side for the first time and the Honest Men couldn’t have wished for a better debut from the new gaffer as a James Maxwell strike was enough to earn all three points.
Despite the defeat, Arbroath remain top of the Championship by two points.
Arbroath were forced into a change to the line-up which drew 0-0 with Inverness as Jason Thomson missed out. Club veteran David Gold took his place in the right back position.
Scott Stewart returned to the starting line-up, while Liam Henderson also rejoined the squad but started on the bench.
Jack Hamilton started up front, following the departure of Anton Dowds. He paired up with Joel Nouble in his final game for the Lichties.
First half
The game started off fairly scrappy with neither side getting a foothold on the game, although it was the visitors who seemed to enjoy the majority of the ball in the early period.
Arbroath began to look the most threatening, but it was Ayr that took the lead against the run of play on 18 minutes.
Michael Moffat ran in one-on-one with Derek Gaston, who managed to block the effort, James Maxwell then found the net in the follow up. His scuffed shot trickled towards goal but Ricky Little was unable to clear on the line.
The home support thought it was two just minutes later when Patrick Reading’s shot from wide was somehow tipped round the post by Derek Gaston.
Arbroath continued to enjoy the majority of possession and Craigen came agonisingly close with a shot from the edge of the box which went just wide.
Second half
The visitors started the second half brightly, with a fierce shot from from Michael McKenna off target.
The Arbroath players appealed for a penalty on 53 minutes as Nouble danced his way into the Ayr box only to stumble as he looked to get a cross in. Referee David Munro was uninterested, though.
Dick Campbell’s side continued to knock on the door piling more and more pressure on the hosts.
Nicky Low made a surprise return to action midway through the second half, replacing David Gold, as Arbroath pushed for an equaliser.
Bobby Linn and then Dale Hilson joined the action as Arbroath threw everything at it.
Joel Nouble was denied a magical send off near the end when his curling shot from the edge of the box was tipped over by Aidan McAdams.
Gaston then prevented a second for Ayr as the home side broke up the field pulling off a spectacular stop from Fraser Bryden’s effort.
Arbroath continued to push for the equaliser but in the end were left frustrated losing out to Maxwell’s first half strike.
