Ayr Utd1–4Dundee Utd

Ayr show little respect for their visitors' top of the league status by almost scoring in 90 seconds. Robertson shoots from point blank range to beat McAlpine, but Kopel blocks the shot on the line. The Tannadice men get a penalty in seven minutes when Fleming pulls down Wallace - and the opening goal. McAlpine's hard spot-kick is brilliantly pushed out by Sproat, but Tom McAdam beats everyone in the race for the loose ball to shoot home. Two minutes later, from a corner on the left side, the Tangerines go further ahead. Wallace is spot-on with the kick and Paul Hegarty times his leap perfectly to kick the ball past Spoat into the net. The third comes on the 20-minute mark, Wallace sends in the cross to Hegarty at the back post, and his header back across goal is slammed home by Paul Sturrock. The goal-hungry visitors are hit by their penalty hoodoo once again in the 31 minute when McAdam is sent sprawling by Sproat, but this time McAlpine's spot kick hits the bar and goes over. The keeper has to react at the other end to tip a rocket from Robertson over the bar.

Four minutes into the second half, McAdam's perseverance brings the fourth goal, and his cross drops at Sturrock's feet, but his shot is blocked by the keeper. Gordon Wallace follows up to make no mistake from four yards. Ayr have a penalty claim turned down in 62 minutes, but eventually get a consolation goal in the dying seconds when substitute Alex Ingram rises unmarked to head powerfully past McAlpine.