Ayr United 2 Queen’s Park 2

Spiders Head Coach Robin Veldman elected to go with the starting XI that performed so well against Partick Thistle eight days ago with Barry Hepburn returning to the bench after suspension.

After The Last Post was played and a minute’s silence was observed to mark Remembrance Day the teams changed ends, with Queen’s shooting towards an empty terracing with Jack Spong kicking off.

Tommy Robson was quickly involved as he cut-off an advance led by Logan Chalmers with the roles reversed in four minutes with Queen’s earning a throw in 20 yards from goal that resulted in a shot from Dom Thomas being charged down.

A drive from Jack Thomson from the edge of the box after Louis Longridge had knocked down a Tommy Robson cross met same fate four minutes later.

There was an escape for the visitors on 12 minutes when Ahkeem Rose slipped the ball past Ferrie who had rushed out some 25 yards and Jamie Murphy rolled the ball into the unguarded net only for an offside flag to cut short the celebrations.

Thomson looked to make the most of that reprieve 60 seconds later when a miscued clearance fell into his path with a whipped in drive that only just cleared Robbie Mutch’s bar.

With 19 minutes played Lewis Reid took the ball forward 30 yards to find Thomas who looked to release Robson however the home defence cleared and Spong had to look lively to intercept as Anton Dowds looked to pounce.

Thomas was harshly penalised and booked after falling and handling midway through the opening half to give Ayr a free-kick 23 yards out from Ferrie’s goal with Chalmers sending the dead ball fizzing inches wide.

The hosts had better fortune on 24 minutes when Rose picked up a loose ball and fed Dowds, who ignored calls for offside before side-stepping his way into the box and thumping a shot high past Ferrie.

Thomas, Jack Turner and Robson combined in intricate fashion on the half hour mark to carve out an opening however Ayr stood firm with George Stanger doing well on 32 minutes to clear after Thomas and Robson had worked together to flash the ball across the home goal with Ruari Paton lurking.

Ayr doubled their advantage seven minutes from the break when Murphy curled in a 30-yard free-kick and Dowds applied the slightest of head flicks from seven yards to take the ball out of Ferrie’s reach.

As confidence flowed through The Honest Men Murphy was only inches out from turning in a low cross from Dowds however when half-time arrived the score remained at 2-0.

The visitors looked to get back into things quickly at the start of the second half and after a low Turner cross had been cleared the Spiders forced two quick corners with Paton having a half chance before being crowded out.

On 52 minutes Queen’s came within an inch of a goal when Thomson picked up on a cleared Thomas cross and sent a left foot shot from 18 yards thundering against a post from 18 yards.

Five minutes later a delightful passing move from Queen’s ended in a corner when a cross from Thomas was cleared.

The move got the goal it deserved from Jack Spong’s dead ball when a goal was pulled back as ALEX BANNON rose and headed home in fine style from eight yards.

Veldman introduced Ben McPherson and Barry Hepburn shortly afterwards with captain Thomas moving to the right as part of the switch.

Hepburn looked lively and on 67 minutes he dribbled past two players and picked out Paton who clipped the bar however the ball had gone out for a by-kick and referee Collum pulled the game back.

Cameron Bruce was brought on for the injured Robson just after 70 minutes had been played and the youngster was quickly involved as he raced forward and sent over a cross that Sean McGinty stretched to turn past as Paton waited to net.

Shortly afterwards Reid showed great strength to burst through two challenges and find Thomson only for his pass forward to find an offside Paton.

Spong did well to win a free-kick on the left 10 minutes from the end with Turner’s cross to the back post cleared under pressure by the home defence with Mutch doing well a minute later to grasp a Spong free-kick after a handball.

Lucas McCormick was introduced with six minutes to play as Queen’s adopted a 4-2-4 formation in a bid to get level and it almost worked quickly as Paton met a Thomas cross and Mutch finger-tipped his header over.

From the corner Reid appeared to be pushed to the ground however the Match Officials were not interested.

Thomas’ trickery won an injury time corner that Mutch failed to collect however the shot-stopper recovered his composure and grabbed the loose ball.

Another charge forward saw Turner feed Hepburn on the left with the winger’s parting shot drifting wide of the far post.

Queen’s never gave up and three minutes into added on time Thomas scampered up the wing once more and his low cross was stabbed over the line by Paton.

A deserved point!

Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Louis Longridge (Ben McPherson 59), Alex Bannon, Lewis Reid, Tommy Robson (Cameron Bruce 61), Jack Thomson, Jack Spong (Lucas McCormick 84), Jack Turner, Dom Thomas, Patrick Jarrett (Barry Hepburn 59), Ruari Paton.
Unused substitutes – Sam Kane (G/k), Charlie Fox, Aaron Healy, Will Tizzard, , Zach Mauchin.

Ayr United – Robbie Mutch (G/k), Elicha Ahui, George Stanger, Sean McGinty, Paddy Reading, Logan Chalmers (Jay Senga 70), Jack Young Roy Syla (Paul Smith 46), Jamie Murphy (Aiden McGeady 77), Anton Dowds (Francis Amartey 72), Ahkeem Rose (Fraser Bryden 64).
Unused substitutes –Ollie Ecrepont (G/k), Mark McKenzie, Finn Ecrepont, Nick McAllister.

Referee: Willie Collum