HOP MARKS FOR MAC THE KNIFE
Kid helps Ayr boss to first win
DUNDEE ........ 1 AYR UNITED ........ 3
MARK McKENZIE gave Ayr’s survival hopes a huge boost – and delivered a double blow to Dundee’s promotion bid.
The youngster’s brace sealed David Hopkin’s first win since replacing Mark Kerr as boss.
Former Dundee United striker Cammy Smith got Ayr’s other goal while Osman Sow’s strike was too little, too late for the Dens men.
The three points moved the Honest Men up to seventh.
They stunned the home side when McKenzie, 20, claimed his first goal for the club.
Ayr extended their advantage at the start of the second half through Smith and McKenzie grabbed his second in the 84th minute with a stunning strike from 25 yards.
Sow struck a minute later but that made little difference to Hopkin’s mood at the end.
He said: “We came with a plan and scored an early goal.
“I’m thrilled for young Mark McKenzie to score his first goals for the club.
“I’ve been in for three days and played two games, so it has been a bit of a whirlwind.
“It was just important to get something against what’s a very good Dundee team. It brings us back up into the mix with everyone else.”
Dundee boss James McPake admitted the night could have been even worse if third-placed Raith had not lost to Inverness.
He said: “It was a really disappointing night especially as we could have caught Raith.
“But we have eight cup finals left and we need to go again on Friday at Alloa.”
Danny Mullen wasted the game’s first chance when he shot tamely at Ayr keeper Viljami Sinisalo after finding himself with time and space 12 yards out.
McKenzie made him pay for that in the 18th minute when he fired home after Luke McCowan robbed Paul McGowan and set up the youngster.
Dundee would have looked for a big response in the second half but found themselves even more up against it when Ayr extended their lead in the 49th minute.
Left-back Patrick Reading broke inside the Dundee box and crossed for Smith to rifle a low angled shot past keeper Adam Legzdins.
McKenzie put the game to bed late on with his superb finish high past Legzdins with Sow scoring a consolation in the 86th minute.