Hamilton 0, Ayr United 2 as Honest Men get Championship season off to perfect start
dailyrecord.co.ukAyr got off to a Championship flier as goals from George Stanger and Anton Dowds downed 10-man Accies.Scott Brown's Honest Men laid down a marker for the campaign ahead as they firmly put the disappointment of their Premier Sports Cup exit to bed in the Lanarkshire sunshine.
Brown handed a first start to Jake Hastie following his cracker against Buckie last week and the winger was one of four former Accies in the United starting line-up.Hastie almost made an immediate impact here, too, as he carved out an early opening down the left for Jay Henderson, but his opposite winger fizzed the effort inches wide.It was a lively start to the game and Ayr were almost in front when Frankie Musonda, who was deployed at right back, drew a top save from ex-United man Charlie Albinson as the keeper was at full stretch to tip the Zambian's header round for a corner.But Ayr made the bright start pay when Stanger showed real composure to kill the ball three yards out and roll beneath Albinson.
United then took something of a grip on the midfield and after a period of concerted pressure, Musonda fired over the top from 20 yards as they continued to press.But Accies proved they were more than in the game when Kevin O'Hara called Harry Stone into action and the on loan Hearts keeper had to get down low with a super save to deny Hamilton a leveller.
Ayr almost had the perfect start to the second half when a Stanger header was touched on to the post but rebounded agonisingly to safety.
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