Airdrie triumph as nine-man Ayr taste drop
Derek Holmes scored twice as Airdrie reached the First Division play-off final and relegated nine-man Ayr.
Holmes' second-half double and Willie McLaren's late strike secured a 3-1 victory on the day and on aggregate after Wednesday's goalless first leg.
Ayr got off to the worst possible start when midfielder Jackson Longridge was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Ricki Lamie after just 17 minutes.
The 10 men made it to half-time without conceding but fell behind eight minutes after the break when they failed to clear Jamie Stevenson's corner, Kevin Cuthbert parried a shot from Jamie Bain and Holmes slotted in the rebound.
Ayr grabbed a surprise leveller just after the hour mark when Andrew Geggan guided in Eddie Malone's free-kick.
But 60 seconds later Holmes tucked away a cross from Ryan Donnelly, and with five minutes left McLaren was left clean through on goal to seal the victory and a final clash with Dumbarton.
In stoppage time 10 men became nine when Jonathan Tiffoney collected his second yellow card to compound Ayr's misery.
Ayr 1-3 Airdrie Utd: Match Report - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game as it happened.
Source: DSG
