AYR UNITED 2 KILMARNOCK 0 FEB 1998
Moody Frenchman Laurent D’jaffo and giant Icelander Kristjan Finnbogason were heroes as Ayr sent the Scottish Cup holders packing in a St Valentine’s massacre in 1998.
D’jaffo set up both goals in a Somerset Park mudbath while man of the match Finnbogason put up the shutters in a 2- 0 win.
D’jaffo started on the bench but replaced teenage defender Keith Hogg with seven minutes to go.
His never- say- die persistence saw him force the ball wide to Ian Ferguson who crossed into the Killie goalmouth where Jim Dick headed home at the back post.
A famous win was sealed two minutes later when D’jaffo dispossessed the hesitant Kevin McGowne and cut the ball back to Ferguson who swivelled before curling a shot into the net.
D’jaffo recalled: “I was disappointed only to make the bench but delighted to get my chance to make a contribution to a special day for Ayr.
“I remember it as a typical Scottish winter’s day with horrendous conditions. Ayr gave me my first start in British football and I’ll always be grateful to them.”
Cup holders Killie went home to lick their wounds with many of their camp blaming the muddy conditions after torrential rain lashed the ground all morning.
Ref Hugh Dallas expressed doubts at 1pm but Davie Harkness and his ground staff worked wonders to allow the go- ahead to be given.
Finnbogason, who played 20 times for his country, arrived in Ayr on a four- month loan deal and within days was pitched into the biggest game of his life.
He recalled: “I had never experienced anything so intense as what I felt that day. I have great memories – and I can still remember the name of the goal- scorers, Jim Dick and Ian Ferguson.
“The gaffer held a team meeting the day before and told us how crucial the game would be. I remember there was a lot of rain and the pitch was very muddy but the referee decided to let it go ahead.
“I had some good saves in both halves and then we hit them with two late goals.
“But we couldn’t celebrate too much afterwards because we had a league game the following midweek.”
Kristjan remembers his time at Somerset Park as being eventful, to say the least.
He said: “There were trialists coming in from everywhere and I think we used around 50 players that season.”
Kristjan returned to Iceland at the end of the season but he was soon back in Ayrshire the following year when his team played Kilmarnock in Europe.
He added: “We beat them 1- 0 in Iceland but we had David Winnie sent off after 20 minutes of the second leg at Rugby Park.
“Kilmarnock scored in the last minute to force extra time when they scored again.” AYR: Finnbogason; Robertson, Hogg; Millen, Burns, Anderson; Dick, Traynor, Ferguson, Agnew, Bowman. Subs: D’jaffo, Bonar, Castilla. KILMARNOCK: Marshall; MacPherson, Baker; Lauchlan, McGowne, Reilly; Mitchell, Holt, Wright, Roberts, Vareille. Subs: McIntyre, Bagan, Henry. Crowd: 9,286.