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Goals Galore for United at Central Park
On 22nd October 1910 when the clubs met for their first ever match , Hugh Ramsey scored in a 3-0 win for the Honestmen. This first ever encounter between the two clubs was notable for the operation of Ayr United’s first ever sponsorship deal.
Ayr tailors, Stewarts of 224 High Street, Ayr had offered to provide an overcoat to any player who scored two goals in a home league match, two coats for four goals and so on. Another member of the public of the players choice would also receive such a coat. The deal not only rewarded the player who scored, but provided a huge incentive to United players to score in home matches.
The first ever match between the two clubs at Cowdenbeath was held on 19th November 1910 when the home team won by 5-1 at North End Park, Cowdenbeath. United were again defeated away on 20th December 1924 by 4-0 by a Cowdenbeath side who were managed by former Ayr manager Jimmy Richardson who had left for Fife the previous summer.
United’s legend Alec Beattie was in superb form to score two first half goals when Ayr won by 2-1 at Somerset Park on 18th December 1954.
United had an early win at Central Park, Cowdenbeath on 9th April 1955 by 2-1.
On 17th April 1971 a 2-1 win for Cowdenbeath failed to put smiles on their faces as elegation for them was also confirmed that day.
Central Park, however, was the venue when the scoring was reversed on Sunday 27th January 1974 for the Scottish Cup match. Not only was it an important cup match for Ayr, but this match was also the first ever Sunday match to be played in Scotland. In front of 2,823 Ayr celebrated the event with a resounding 5-0 win.
The league match on 11th April 1987 ended in a 3-1 win for Ayr but this was not enough to see Ayr regain first division status that season. However, the 6-1 win on 12th September 1987 was the beginning of Ayr’s return to the first division in a season when they won the 2nd division championship.
Cowdenbeath themselves had moved into first division football by the time the Ayr played them at home on 6th March 1993, a rather poor game which Cowdenbeath won 1-0. Ayr reversed the score by winning 1-0 on 17th April 1993 at Central Park.
1,283 saw United severely thrashed by 4-0 on 12th August 2006 at Somerset Park in a 2nd division fixture. In fact United could only manage a draw against the Fifers that season, 1-1 at Central Park on 21st October 2006, losing 2-0 at Somerset Park on 24th February 2007 and by 3-1 away on 21st April 2007.
On 15th September 2007 United extended an unbeaten run to six early in the season when Alex Williams swivelled on a Moore cross to hit a cheeky 69th minute shot over his shoulder and into he top corner of the net earning a 1-1 draw at Central Park.
But on 1st December 2007 Cowdenbeath crushed 10-man Ayr with a ruthless display of attacking football at Somerset Park winning by 4-1.
The Honest Men took the lead through op scorer Alex Williams before Pat Scullion's equaliser. Douglas Hill headed Cowdenbeath into the lead on the hour mark and Mark Ramsey made it 3-1 with a close-range strike to stun the Ayr. Ayr's misery was compounded when Mark Casey was sent off and John Armstrong made it four with an 18-yard drive.
On 5th January 2008 Cowdenbeath earned a 2-0 win at Cowdenbeath when trialist Paul McQuade struck the opening goal after ten minutes. John Dempster netting the second goal in 76 minutes.
Ayr managed a 1-1 draw at Somerset Park on 22nd March 2008 meaning that Ayr had managed only two draws in two seasons against the Fifers. The only consolation was that Cowdenbeath were relegated to Division 3.
Second division Ayr managed to get the better of first division Cowdenbeath in the Alba Challenge Cup 2nd round match on 10th August 2010 at Somerset park winning by 2-0.
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