Massive game at the bottom: Queen of the South Preview

On Saturday, Ayr United head down to Dumfries to take on Queen of the South at Palmerston Park.

Ayr don't only loo down to Queens' geographically, but are also six points and two positions above the bottom club in the League.

Ayr will be without Eddie Malone and Michael McGowan through suspension, yet Martyn Campbell is set to return with Alan Trouten who started the on the trip to Dundee on Tuesday night and came off the bench against Morton on Saturday.

An army of Ayr fans will set off for Dumfries on Saturday, by bus, car and train. As large numbers are expected for the away clash on Saturday.

Ayr go into the game on the back of a first league defeat since late February at the hands of Dundee. But have managed to take ten points from 21. Whereas, the 'Doonhammers' have shipped eight goals in only two games and Ayr, who will be without the experience of Eddie Malone lost two very late goals to Dundee on Tuesday.

Unlucky Ayr hammered at Dens: Dundee 4-1 Ayr United

Ayr United rue missed chances, as Dundee harshly put four past Cuthbert.

Roberts got Ayr's only goal

Dundee took the lead in the first half through Jamie McCluskey netted from 10 yards on the twenty minute mark. The 'Dees' successfully held their advantage until half-time and shortly after doubled it, when Steven Milne beat Cuthbert in a one-on-one.

The 'Honest Men' never gave up and with thirteen minutes of normal time left, skipper, Mark Roberts halved the deficit and a spell of Ayr domination, which included multiple shots that hit the woodwork.

A late double from Dundee handed Ayr an unjust beating that wrongly looked one-sided score line, when Jake Hyde and Ryan Conroy scored late stoppage time goals.

Late Raith equaliser prevents a third United Victory over Rovers this season: Raith Rovers 2-2 Ayr United

Raith Rovers 2-2 Ayr United

Ayr United almost sealed a third victory over fellow struggler's, Raith Rovers, but were denied in the final minute of additional time.

A large travelling support made their way up to Kirkcaldy for a crunch game towards the bottom of the table. Rovers who sit in ninth spot took the lead early in the first half through Brian Graham. Graham was dismissed under half an hour later by referee, Crawford Allen.

With the half-time score at 1-0, United came out the better side, and eventually the visitors found an equaliser when Liam Tomsett was brought down in the box and United were awarded a penalty. And Mark Roberts stepped up to score his twenty-first penalty and fifty-first goal since joining Ayr United in 2009. And it looked like Ayr would jump up to seventh when Raith defender, Douglas Hill fell and thought he was fouled, hand-balling it on the edge of the box. Eddie Malone stepped up, beat the wall to put in to the top corner, sending the away support in to ecstasy. As it looked as though all three points were heading down to Ayrshire. Until Damian Casilinuovo scored a late equaliser to take a point for the Rovers.

Hibernian: Scottish Cup - Match Preview

Tomorrow, Ayr United take on SPL struggler's, Hibernian, in the Quarter-Final's of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

The Hibees made the journey down to the Ayrshire coast for a Scottish Cup fourth round replay. The Honest Men won 1-0, a well finished Mark Roberts goal was all that separated the part-time second division club from the SPL side in the 180 mins.

Ayr have strengthened considerably since the last meeting, only fourteen months ago. Jonathan Tiffoney, Eddie Malone, Chris Smith and Mark Roberts are the only players that featured in Ayr's famous victory against the Hibees, that can play at Somerset tomorrow. Hibs have strengthened further, and could possibly start a completely different starting XI to that were put to the sword by the part-timers last season.

The most famous tie between the two clubs was a Scottish League Cup Semi-Final at Hampden Park ten years ago this season. John Robertson, who re-signed for the Honest Men in the summer, for his third spell at the club, was brought down in the box and won the Honest Men a penalty to put them into their first major cup final. Eddie Annand converted from the spot, to send the Ayr supporters into ecstasy.

The Honest Men won a vital league match in West Lothian against Livingston on Tuesday night coming from behind, once again. A Mark Roberts first half penalty cancelled out an early Keighan Jacobs opener for the home side. The penalty was won when Keigan Parker was brought down by Livi keeper, McNeil, When 'Marko' slotted home his fiftieth goal as an Honest Man, and the twentieth from the spot. Michael McGowan got the winner for the Honest Men, knocking the ball home through a crowd of Livi defenders.

Hibs, who remain only four points above bottom place Dunfermline Athletic at the foot of the SPL table, have only won eight game this season, losing seventeen and drawing nine (all competitions). The Cabbage were knocked out of the League Cup in the quarter-final stage at the hands of Celtic, despite being a goal up at half-time, they were undone by a classy second half performance by Celtic and James Forrest in particular.

The prize for tomorrows victory would be a place in the semi-final's and a trip to Hampden Park, a venue familiar to the current Ayr United squad who visited the national stadium only two months ago in the Scottish League Cup Semi-Finals, against local-rivals Kilmarnock, losing out to an extra-time goal from Dean Sheils. And if either club can reach the final the prize of European football could be possible, if their opposition has already qualified for either the Champions League or Europa League.

Falkirk leave Somerset with nothing... Again: Ayr United 1-0 Falkirk

Ayr United faced Falkirk for the fourth time this season and the third at Somerset Park this season. The last time 'The Bairns' visited Somerset Park only a few ago in the Fifth Round of the Scottish Cup, Ayr won 2-1 with goals from Andy Geggan and Mark Roberts from the spot coming back from an early goal scored by Blair Alston for Falkirk.

Ayr 1-0 Falkirk

Ayr went into the game on the back of a 3-2 defeat to league leaders, Ross County, after going two goals down early on, and brought it back to two-all with both goals from Keigan Parker, but were eventually defeated by a spectacular to complete a Richard Brittain hat-trick. Following a first league victory of the calender year, at home to Livingston, with goals from Eddie Malone and two from midfielder, Andy Geggan, who brought it all square after Dean Cummings converted early for the visitors.

Ayr were without John Robertson, Martyn Campbell, Alan Trouten and Sean Higgins through injury, but played a strong eleven despite playing Adam Dodd at left-back. Ayr started: Cuthbert, Tiffoney, Dodd, Malone, Smith, Geggan, Moffat, Tomsett, Parker, Roberts and McGowan. Steven Pressley started a line-up of: Duffie, Scobbie, Dods, Wallace, Murdoch, Fulton, Millar, Gibson, El Alagui and White.

The first half seemed pretty uneventful, little chances for both sides, with Ayr defending well and passing well at the other end of the park. And Falkrk couldn't convert their chances, however, the most notable action from Falkirk was when Farid El Alagui fell into the Somerset Road.

Ayr improved in the second half and dominated much of the game, especially on the right-wing and played a lot of the game in front, Duffie, the Falkirk keepers goal, who was strangely enough wearing the Ayr United alternative goalkeepers jersey. Eventually the pressure paid off, and Andy Geggan got his sixth of the season and third in a week to seal all three points to the Honest Men.

Raith Rovers comfortably won 5-0 at home to Greenock Morton, and Ross County won at home to Queen of the South. A gap is starting to emerge between Queen of the South and both Ayr and Raith, and only a point separates Raith and Ayr, with Ayr having a game in hand (away to Livingston on Tuesday night).