Cowdenbeath’s relegation woes intensified with a comprehensive defeat to promotion-chasing Ayr.
The Blue Brazil went into this encounter bidding to build on Saturday’s encouraging win at Stenhousemuir but their defensive frailties on the road returned to haunt them again.
Indeed, by half-time the Fifers were already three goals adrift and staring at another damaging defeat.
United went ahead on 15 minutes when Craig Moore’s shot was turned behind for a corner by Alin Roman and, from Brian Gilmour’s flag kick, Ross McCrorie’s close-range header gave the keeper no chance.
Cowdenbeath were still reeling from the setback when United doubled the punishment as Ryan Stevenson found space in the box to fire low into the bottom corner of the net.
The visitors showed a glimmer of life when Declan Hughes shot narrowly over from 20 yards but the Honest Men were even more dangerous when Moore forced another save from Roman.
Jack Beaumont’s shot at the other end forced Greg Fleming’s first save of the match as Cowdenbeath continued to seek a lifeline.
However, their hopes were effectively snuffed out before the break when another pinpoint cross from Gilmour was firmly headed into the net by Moore.
The Fifers refused to throw in the towel and were given brief hope when Hughes found the top corner of the net with a raking long-range shot.
There was to be no comeback, though, as Stevenson’s second of the night soon restored Ayr’s three-goal cushion, the former Hearts midfielder taking a pass from Ross Docherty and giving Roman no chance with a fierce 25-yard shot.
Dean Brett almost narrowed the deficit with an angled effort which was just off target.
Attendance: 856.
Ayr: Fleming; Devlin, Boyle, Murphy, Graham, Stevenson, McCrorie (Wardrope 68), Docherty (Crawford 74), Trouten, Gilmour, Moore (Preston 40). Unused subs: Forest, Donald, McLauchlan, Newman.
Cowdenbeath: Roman, Kerr, Kane, Scullion, Brett, Hughes, Beaumont (Gibbons 62), Adamson, McDaid (Spence 67), Byrne (Donaldson 46), Caldwell. Unused Subs: Milne, Johnston, Adam, Swann.
Referee: G Ross.