Michael Mckenna smashed home a glorious winner to stretch Arbroath’s unbeaten run to eight games and pile on the gloom for sorry Ayr.
Mark Kerr’s men have won just one of their last 10 games and now sit only four points off bottom spot.
Lichties No. 2, Ian Campbell, admitted: “Momentum is with us and we look as though we are enjoying our football. Any teams that meet us know they will have to work hard as the commitment of our players is marvellous.
“This league is tremendous, win a couple of games and you are looking upwards. Our players have been magnificent. The quality of players on our bench is tremendous and we are in a lovely place.”
Troubled Ayr were forced to draft in 21-year-old keeper Peter Urminsky on an emergency loan from St Mirren after regular No. 1 Viljami Sinisalo injured his ankle at training the day before.
Dario Zanatta had the game’s first chance, but was robbed on the point of shooting by a great saving tackle from Jason Thomson.
Visiting keeper Derek Gaston made a great double save to deny Tom Walsh and Zanatta before the latter saw a free-kick charged down.
Urminsky was called into action after 27 minutes to make a great tip-over save from an angled shot by Bobby Linn.
Zanatta twice went close when he headed straight at Gaston from a free-kick, and then saw a flick from Walsh’s cross gathered by the keeper.
The last chance of the first half fell to Arbroath, with Urminsky diving to push aside a free-kick from Linn.
Zanatta was denied again just after the interval when Gaston tipped over his stinging drive.
Arboath struck the killer blow in 63 minutes when on-loan Rangers teenager Ben Williamson cut the ball back to Mckenna to smash a shot into the top corner.
Kerr is now threatening to pull on his boots as Ayr try to steer themselves clear from a relegation dogfight.
He said: “I know I can go in and do it myself. Probably my only regret is that I have not played enough. Arbroath beating us at home is unacceptable. We are soft in certain areas of the game and felt vulnerable at set-pieces.”