Ayr sweep aside Cumnock at Townhead Park: Cumnock Juniors 0-5 Ayr United

The latest instalment into Mark Roberts pre-season plans saw his Ayr side make the short trip across the county to face local junior outfit, Cumnock.

It was a final chance for gaffer, Roberts, to make any decisions before the first competitive game against Queens Park at Hampden in the Ramsdens Cup, before the final friendly at Somerset Park against Cypriot side, AEL Limassol, then back up to Glasgow for a midweek League Cup tie with top-flight club Partick Thistle. Then finally to league business with a trip up to Gayfield as Ayr open at Arbroath.

Only fourteen miles separate Ayr and Cumnock, yet neither side had met each other before, with Ayr in the Scottish League set-up and Cumnock in the juniors.

The game started fairly evenly, but it was Ayr creating the chances. After about ten minutes Ayr excelled and after a series of wasted chances, a great piece of individual skill from the Ayr United Football Academy's next wonderkid, Alan Forrest, whose shot was denied by Nock keeper, Ally Semple, who featured for Ayr as a trialist last pre-season, but the ball landed straight at the foot of Michael Donald, who tapped the ball home.

It wasn't long before Ayr doubled their lead, and it was Forrest again, this time he met a Michael Moffat cross at the back post, while diving through the air to convert it.

However, Ayr squandered a glorious chance to make it 3-0 before the break, when Michael Moffat was brought down in the box, that the referee had adjourned to be a penalty, Moffat send the ball to the bottom left hand corner of the goal, just as Semple had guessed.

It took a while after the break before Ayr could build on their lead, When Moffat was brought down in the box yet again, This time McGowan had the ball in his hands, before gaffer, Roberts told him Moffat would be taking it, this time he left Semple with no chance blasting it off the underside of the bar, and going in.

Alan Forrest was a stand-out for Ayr

It was substitute, Anthony Marenghi, who bagged Ayr's fourth goal, from a twenty yard free kick he sent curling past the wall, and leaving the Cumnock keeper frustrated.

In the dying moments of the game, Michael McGowan was rewarded for his fine efforts with a well deserved goal. McGowan was left one-on-one with Semple, keeping his composure to make it 5-0.

Youngster, Forrest told the Ayr United Official site:

"My brother James plays with Celtic and has been giving me lots of advice. He comes and supports me when he’s got time off which is massive boost.”

AYR : Hutton (Muir), Hunter, Pope, Lithgow, Trialist (Campbell), Crawford (Marenghi), McGowan, McLaughlin (Wardrope), Moffat, Forrest (Shankland), Donald

Set-Pieces the difference between Honest Men and Milers: Ayr United 1-4 Rotherham United

After a disastrous campaign last year, the summer break was much needed for Mark Roberts and his Ayr team. But they say old habits die hard and it must certainly seem that way for Ayr, who still can't defend corners or free-kicks.

Rotherham United, who are managed by former Ayr player, Steve Evans, finished second in League 2 last year, thus securing automatic promotion to England's Third Tier, embarked on their third and final match of their tour of Scotland, that has saw them comfortably beat Livingston and a goal-less draw with Morton.

The first half of the game was fairly uneventful and typical to that of a pre-season fixture, with both teams having a good number of chances, with both sides squandering them all. However, Ayr got lucky within second's as a terrible pass back from Alan Lithgow to David Hutton found it's self at the foot of the Miller's striker, but the referee's assistant had judged it to be offside, even though it was a pass from Lithgow to the striker.

The half-time break saw eleven changes from Rotherham and none for Ayr. New 'keeper, David Hutton made an other outstanding save to deny the Englishmen the opening goal, when the former Queen of the South and Clyde player blocked a Alex Revell shot from point-blank range, with the ball landing at the feet of Ben Pringle, who could only sky the ball over the bar and above the 250 Rotherham fans in the Railway End.

However, Hutton couldn't keep Rotherham at bay forever and after only seven second half minutes, a Michael O'Connor corner was met by an Alex Revell header from six yards out.

It was an other O'Connor corner that lead to Rotherham's second goal, this time he played a short corner with Ben Pringle, who swung the ball in and was once again met by Alex Revell, for 2-0.

It was Mitch Rose, brother of Tottenham player, Danny Rose, who made it 3-0 to the Millers, after a poor Ben Pringle cross was deflected straight into the path of the young midfielder, who simply slotted the ball home past David Hutton.

Despite being three goals down, Ayr continued to apply the pressure on the Yorkshire side, first Michael Moffat came close, and Craig Malcolm heading only inches over from the resulting corner, then Rotherham 'keeper, Adam Collin, just managed to get a foot on to a Michael Donald shot.

Eventually, Ayr were given an opportunity to get on to the score sheet, when sub Alan Forrest passed the ball to Michael Moffat, who was felled by Johnny Mullins, the referee deciding a penalty to be the outcome. Moffat stood up to take the penalty and calmly sent Adam Collin the wrong way.

With five minutes to go, Adam Hunter brought down Michael O'Connor on the edge of the box, a challenge the Irishman didn't take kindly to and retaliated, this resulted in a booking for O'Connor was substituted by Walker, who became the twenty-third player to feature for Rotherham that day. Ben Pringle curled the resulting free-kick past the wall from twenty-two yards out.

Ayr United: David Hutton, Adam Hunter, Gordon Pope, Alan Lithgow, Scott McLaughlin (captain), Robbie Crawford, Micael McGowan (Alan Forrest), Anthony Marenghi, Craig Malcolm, Michael Moffat, Michael Donald.

ATTENDANCE: 664 (250 Rotherham fans)