Ayr United 0-0 Raith Rovers: Fifers fail to breakdown stubborn Ayr defence

Rovers approached the game with their usual attacking fluidness but were unable to trouble Viljami Sinsalo in the Honest Men's goal for long periods of the game.

In the end, they actually had Jamie MacDonald to thank for ensuring they did head back up the road with something with the veteran keeper making a number of good saves.

The first came early on when Luke McCowan cut back from the by-line to Michael Moffat at six yards but the former Hearts stopper was quick off his line to block the striker’s shot just as he got it away.

Both sides had half chances and efforts wide before Rovers best chance of the half as Ethan Ross played in the overlapping Kieran MacDonald who fired past Sinsalo but saw his effort cleared off the line by the backtracking United defence.

With the deadlock unbroken at the break Rovers had played some attractive football but too often crosses were not making it past the first man and they were guilty of taking one touch too many at times.

The early stages of the second half favoured the hosts, who brought on former Rovers loanee Dario Zanatta, and Jamie MacDonald again denied Moffat with a good block as the striker looked favourite to score from ten yards.

Raith made a sub of their own as Manny Duku made way for Lars Lokotsch and with that Rovers adopted a more direct approach to the match.

Both the Livingston loanee and skipper Kyle Benedictus had efforts from 20 yards fly over the bar while Kieran MacDonald forced Sinisalo in to his first real action of the game with the United keeper flying across goal to deny the left-back’s powerful effort.

Jamie MacDonald again had to act quickly to deny substitute Innes Cameron, again flying off his line to block the attacker’s shot early.

United thought they had the winner on 85 minutes but Aaron Muirhead’s header from a corner came cannoning back off the cross bar as both sides had to settle for a point.