AYR UNITED 1 Gilmour (11) EDINBURGH CITY 0

AYR made hard work of seeing off the SPFL’S newest team with only an early strike from Brian Gilmour separating the teams.

Edinburgh City never gave the impression of being overawed, but they did give the home team some anxious moments late on.

Ayr gave debuts to four players – Jordan Hart, Craig McGuffie, Jamie Thomas and Andy O’Carroll.

But it took the new-look side only 11 minutes to take the lead when Gilmour ran on to a Ross Docherty through pass and chipped over keeper Andrew Stobie.

New striker Thomas, signed on loan fom Burnley, almost made it a scoring start with a sizzling low drive from 20 yards that was deflected past.

Ayr were dominating play with City content to try and hit on the break but the visitors carried no punch in attack.

McGuffie was full of tricks and he almost caught out Stobie with a cross-cum-shot that the keeper was relieved to palm away.

Ayr lost scorer Gilmour to a pulled muscle after 37 minutes with Paul Cairney taking his place.

Mikey Donald replaced Irish striker O’Carroll at halftime but still the search for a killer second goal proved laboured.

Nicky Devlin should have sealed it after 70 minutes when he was left free at the back post but the skipper was high and wide with his effort.

Thomas was denied by the top of the bar after a volley on the turn came within inches of a second goal.

Hero keeper Stobie then denied Devlin but Ayr almost left the back door open as City finished with a late flourish.