Marco Rus provided the key moment as Ayr United edged Queen's Park 2-1, with the decisive strike turning a close contest in Ayr's favour.
It was the sort of finish that settled the game cleanly. Earlier in the move, Ethan Walker had seen a shot from outside the box go begging, while Matthew Shiels also went close with a header that was saved.
Rus makes the difference
The breakthrough came when Marco Rus scored from the centre of the box with a left-footed finish to put Ayr 2-1 ahead. In a match that had already asked questions of both sides, that goal proved enough to separate them.
After the goal, Ayr United refreshed their team with substitutions involving Thomas Hatton, Kieran Shanks and Jamie Murphy. Queen's Park also responded, sending on Zebedee Lawson and Callum Smith as they looked for a way back into the game.
In the end, the decisive detail was simple: Marco Rus scored the winner and Ayr United held on for a 2-1 result against Queen's Park.
