East Fife 3-0 Ayr

Sep 28 2008 Chris Gallagher At Bayview

Second Division

FURIOUS gaffer Brian Reid locked his Ayr players in the dressing-room for 40 minutes after they were crushed by the fabulous Fifers. Reid watched in horror as his side slumped to their first league defeat, gave away a penalty then had a man sent off in a day of disaster.

The September Manager of the Month finally emerged from the dressing-room to deliver a brutal assessment of his side's performance. He said: "It was shocking, not good enough from us.

"It was a freak result and I can only hope it was the warning shot we needed.

"I won't panic but I've a squad at my disposal and might have to look at the other players and perhaps shake things around."

Despite East Fife's promising start to the campaign they began still looking for their first home league victory.

By contrast, away specialists Ayr were looking to continue an impressive run of eight wins from their last 10 trips on the road.

The Methil men started strongly though and in just two minutes Paul McManus' close-range strike was blocked well by Stephen Grindlay.

McManus threatened again in 10 minutes but this time his header was carefully held by Grindlay.

But the Fifers were rocked in 17 minutes when Greig McDonald was stretchered off with a suspected broken leg and had to be replaced by Lloyd Young.

They were still recovering from that upset when Martyn Campbell's bullet header from Ryan Stevenson's corner flew just wide of the home goal.

Another Stevenson setpiece in 25 minutes found Scott Walker whose downwards header was clutched by Willie McCulloch.

But East Fife took the lead in 36 minutes.

Dangerman McManus shot home low from 18 yards in to a corner of the net.

Methil boss Dave Baikie had to reshuffle his side yet again on half-time after another serious leg injury - this time to Jonathan Smart resulted in the stretcher bearers running on.

Chris Templeman came on in his place and the towering target man made an instant impact.

In 48 minutes the former Morton striker dispossessed Walker then crossed for Young whose deflected 20- yard shot beat Grindlay.

Bobby Linn almost grabbed a third in 56 minutes, curling a shot inches wide from 22 yards.

Grindlay was under siege in the Ayr goals and in 77 minutes made a super double save, firstly from Linn then Dean Shields, as the Fifers pushed forwards.

Seconds later the game almost descended in to a mini riot with two red cards issued to both No.8s.

Fife's Shaun Fagan walked for trying to punch David Gormley while United's Chris Aitken saw red for kicking out at Fagan.

McManus sealed United's miserable afternoon by coolly slotting home an 87th-minute penalty after Martyn Campbell had fouled Robert Campbell.

East Fife gaffer Baikie said: "We knew a result like was coming.

"We are now unbeaten in five games and knew once we got the second goal that the points were ours."