It’s Shanks giving day
Four-goal Lawrence so polished as United get a shoeing DUNDEE UTD ...... 0 AYR UTD ............. 5
FOUR-GOAL hero Lawrence Shankland dazzled as rampant Ayr strengthened their grip on pole position in the Championship with a thumping triumph.
The hitman stole the show for Ian McCall’s league leaders with a first-half double before netting another two towards the end – one from the spot.
Michael Moffat was also on target for the Honest Man as they left shell-shocked Dundee United devastated.
Swansea and Sunderland target Shankland was too hot
to handle for the Tangerines who tasted defeat for the first time in seven games under Robbie Neilson as Ayr moved five points clear. The home fans
were stunned by
the Honest Men’s whirlwind start.
A quick freekick released Daniel Harvie down the left and his cross eluded the Tangerines defence, allowing Shankland to plant a header past Benjamin Siegrist.
It was Shankland’s 23rd goal in as many matches this season and minutes later he almost grabbed his second of the night.
This time midfielder Andy Geggan set him up only for the Somerset talisman to clip his effort just wide of the far post.
Neilson’s men were struggling to find their feet and suffered a further blow in 13 minutes with Swiss keeper Siegrist having to be replaced by Matej Rakovan.
United were lucky not to fall further behind in 24 minutes.
Declan McDaid went on a surging run into the box and unleashed an effort which Rakovan parried and Moffat couldn’t keep down his shot from the rebound.
Rakovan had to thwart Shankland on several occasions with the 23-year-old Ayr ace looking menacing at all times.
And he finally did extend the lead four minutes before the interval.
McDaid once more found space out wide, crossing for Shankland and he did the rest with a tap-in.
The Taysiders tried to throw themselves a lifeline right after the break with Paul McMullan setting up Fraser Aird whose back-post effort went wide.
Ayr, though, should have killed the contest in 57 minutes.
Moffat raced clear of the United defence but saw his strike saved by the legs of keeper Rakovan.
The third finally arrived with 12 minutes left when Moffat latched on to Geggan’s pass and stayed cool to net.
Shankland claimed his third from the spot four minutes from time – after Moffat had been fouled by William Edjenguele – before netting a solo fourth right at the end.