Yet again Dundee United players and fans were made to suffer in Ayr.
The Tangerines have now lost three games in a row at Somerset Park and haven’t even scored a goal in four trips.
This 2-0 defeat cost them their 100% and unbeaten league record and leaves the two teams locked on the same points total at the top of the Championship table, with only goal difference keeping United in first place.
Whether Ayr can last the distance remains to be seen but at the moment they look like promotion contenders again.
United had their chances but Ian McCall’s side deserved their win.
The opening goal was scored on nine minutes.
Left-back Danny Harvie was stronger than Liam Smith and finished with the coolness of a centre-forward.
Ayr were already the better team by this point and should have gone two in front 10 minutes later when Michael Moffat latched on to a weak Mark Reynolds headed back-pass but hit his shot straight at Benjamin Siegrist.
New signing Troy Brown was given his debut next to Reynolds and his block from an Alan Forrest shot was another near-thing for the hosts.
United finished the first half with a bit of pressure at last and twice in stoppage time Louis Appere was tripped on the line of the penalty box. There were also a couple of long-range shots (from Peter Pawlett and Calum Butcher) tipped over the bar before that.
The Tangerines started the second 45 as they should have started the first, with Appere having a low shot saved at the back post.
Their best chance to equalise came on 73 minutes when substitute Nicky Clark’s header hit the post.
Instead of being level, United were behind two minutes later. Forrest was tripped in the box and from the spot-kick that was awarded he sent Siegrist the wrong way.
It finished 2-0 on another grim afternoon in Ayrshire for Robbie Neilson’s men.
