Cowdenbeath 2-0 Ayr United

Jan 6 2008 Jim Cairns Reports

BEATH boss Brian Welsh saluted his men for overcoming a serious injury crisis to grab three points in this relegation dogfight.

The Fifers were without six key players for the game but Welsh's ravaged squad came up trumps with new signings Paul McQuade and John Dempster notching the all-important goals.

Welsh said: "It was a battle as you would expect with teams in our position but I was happy with the way our lads approached it."

"We had six regulars out and had to bring in a lot of youngsters but they all played their part and we got a bonus with our new strikers both scoring."

United went close with early efforts from Iain Anderson and Dean Keenan but Cowdenbeath notched the opener in 10 minutes.

McQuade took possession 20 yards out and held off a challenge before netting a right-foot shot from 15 yards off a post.

Ayr suffered a setback after 33 minutes when keeper Mark McGeown had to go off injured.

The Honest Men tried hard to get back into the match after the interval, going close through Brian Stevenson and David Dunn.

But the Blue Brazil killed them off with a second in 76 minutes.

McQuade thumped in a shot that substitute keeper Fraser Stewart could only parry and Dempster slammed home the rebound from close range.

Ayr gaffer Brian Reid said: "I hate to say it but it looked like they wanted to win more than us.

"We were back to our old bad habits - making key mistakes at key times."