METAPHORICAL banana skins can be a tricky business for Premiership sides visiting Championships clubs to negotiate but St Mirren never looked in any real danger here.
Ayr United may be upwardly mobile again under the stewardship of new manager Lee Bullen but, beyond a late, fruitless flurry of attack in the closing stages, didn’t give the impression they were capable of causing an upset.
This has been a tough season for St Mirren who exited 2021 on the back of 12 winless games but they have returned from the winter break with a renewed spirit that has resulted in successive victories over Dundee United and now here at Somerset Park.
They did so in front of a 2000-strong travelling pack who enjoyed the occasion and slipped into the night dreaming of more of the same.
Those supporters were all locked out when St Mirren reached both cup semi-finals last season and Goodwin would love a return to Hampden this year to do it properly.
“Every fan, manager and team has that little dream that you can get back to Hampden,” said the Irishman who again left out Jamie McGrath pending a possible transfer. The St Mirren manager also revealed that Cammy MacPherson had signed a pre-contract agreement with St Johnstone.
“We’re in the last 16 now so you never know. You can find yourself in the quarter-finals and then you’re within touching distance again.
“We’d love to get back there but with the fans behind us this time around and our families in the stand cheering us on. That’s the incentive for every team out there now.
“When the draw was made, if you were looking to pick out a few banana skins this would have been one of them. So I’m really pleased with the application of the players.
“It’s a clean sheet, a couple of goals and we’re in the hat for the next round – that’s all we can ask for.”
The tie was all but settled within the opening 25 minutes as St Mirren forged into a two-goal lead. Ayr had looked lively in the early exchanges but once their visitors had moved in front there was only likely to be one outcome.
The opener arrived after just seven minutes. Scott Tanser, striding forward from full-back, sent over an enticing cross and Kyle McAllister was able to climb highest to head into the far corner. The winger is not known for his aerial prowess making this an impressive finish, albeit aided by some weak defending.
St Mirren, looking better balanced following the recent switch to a four-man defence, were evidently emboldened by that opening as Ayr saw their chances substantially diminish.
The visitors continued to probe patiently and a second goal soon arrived. Jay Henderson came in off his wing to find Greg Kiltie with a pass and the former Kilmarnock forward took a touch before applying an adroit finish.
St Mirren could have had it all wrapped up by half-time but saw a half-hearted penalty claim waved away before Kristian Dennis somewhat embarrassingly missed the ball when teed up by McAllister.
Aidan McAdams in the Ayr goal earned his corn in the second half with some smart saves, while the home side appealed in vain for a couple of penalties that referee David Dickinson showed little interest in.
Bullen said: “We were hoping to nick a goal with 10 or 15 to go and then that would have changed the whole complex of the game.
"The whole place would have got a lift, Saints would have got a bit nervous but unfortunately we weren't able to do it.”
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