AYR UNITED 4 Forrest (5, 37), Shankland (39), Moffat (81) DUNFERMLINE 1 Longridge (55)

AYR soared to the top of the table thanks to an Aan Forrest double, Lawrence Shankland’s 12th of the season and a late strike from Michael Moffat. Dunfermline managed only a Jackson Longridge consolation and, in truth, were well beaten. Strangely, Ayr boss Ian McCall claimed he didn’t enjoy the match despite the comprehensive scoreline. He revealed: “It’s my fault that we didn’t water the pitch, which meant the surface was sticky and didn’t let us play like we can. “Shankland is beating himself up in the dressing room. Their three centre-halves, who are all good players, couldn’t handle him.” Dunfermline found themselves a goal down with only five minutes on the clock. Great work by Moffat ended with a deft cross which Forrest headed into the top corner. The Pars went close through Andy Ryan before Danny Devine had a netbound header punched over the top by Ross Doohan. Devine, who had earlier been booked, reacted angrily when he was replaced on the half-hour by Myles Hippolyte. Ayr left the Fifers in disarray with two goals in two minutes. Forrest played a 1-2 with Shankland before firing home his second from close range. Six minutes before the interval, Shankland went from provider to scorer when he knocked home Ayr’s third goal from Crawford’s service. Longridge threw the Pars a lifeline after 55 minutes when he collected a Hippolyte cross and fired under Doohan, who had been bidding for a club record-equalling eighth consecutive clean sheet. Dunfermline piled forward and Aidan Connolly, who replaced James Craigen with 20 minutes to go, had a free-kick deflected over. Moffat sealed it for Ayr with a late fourth after sub Declan McDaid and Shankland set him up. Pars boss Allan Johnston admitted: “Shankland was the difference between the teams. He ran amok, bullied our centre-halves and was a constant threat.”