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