MULLIN IS THE MAN AS AYR STAY TOP

A DOUBLE from Josh Mullin was enough for Ayr United to maintain their one-point advantage at the top of the table as the Honest Men edged out Raith Rovers 2-0 at Somerset Park yesterday.

Logan Chalmers’ wonderful pass opened up the visiting defence on 31 minutes and was tucked away by on-loan Livingston winger Mullin.

The second goal for Lee Bullen’s side arrived on 71 minutes with Mullin knocking home Dipo Akinyemi’s dinked cross into the box.

Ayr’s second goal sucked the life out of Raith and the league leaders are now unbeaten in each of their last eight games in all competitions. By contrast, Rovers have lost their last three Championship games and sit seventh in the table.

Elsewhere, Queen’s Park celebrated their return to Hampden with a 4-0 thumping of bottom club Hamilton Accies.

The Spiders are up to third spot and just two points adrift of leaders Ayr. All of the goals came in the first half, with Grant Savoury opening the scoring on 25 minutes.

Simon Murray added a second on 28 minutes and Josh

McPake added a third eight minutes later.

Savoury grabbed his second and Queen’s Park’s fourth in first-half stoppage time to pile the pain on Hamilton, who have lost their last four games.

Arbroath moved two points clear of Accies after holding high-flying Morton to a 1-1 draw at Gayfield.

Lewis McGrattan broke the deadlock for Dougie Imrie’s visitors in added time in the first half but David Gold netted two minutes after half-time to clinch a point for Arbroath, who have only won two of their 17 league matches this season. The draw sees Morton drop to fourth.

Goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon scored a sensational stoppagetime leveller as Partick Thistle salvaged a point at Cove Rangers.

Trailing 1-0 to an early Mitch Megginson effort, Sneddon headed home the equaliser as Thistle stay in fifth and eight points adrift of Ayr. Cove remain in eighth place.