City dominated for long periods and could have given the end of season goals for column an even bigger boost.

However, in terms of getting the job done and the manner in which the result was achieved, City were once again very professional in just about every department.

If anything, two early goals put them into the comfort zone so early in the game, that the second half performance saw Ayr attempt to stage a fightback, which amounted to very little.

Not surprisingly, Michael O'Neill, fielded the same team that defeated Airdrie United seven days prior.

Richard Walker came back into the reckoning on the bench alongside namesakes Scott and Nicky and strikers Calum Smith and goalkeeper Chris McCluskey.

George Salmond, who spent his formative years as a cricketer with Arbroath, before going on to captain Scotland, was the referee and there were times during the ninety minutes when Mr Salmond must have wondered if he was going to see a cricket score all over again.

City started the game very positively and were ahead after 11 minutes. When Kevin Byers' corner came back to him, he fired the ball in the direction of the far corner of the Ayr goal and with the goalkeeper unsighted, it took a slight deflection of the head of Ayr's Paul Weaver into the net.

City continued to dominate both possession and goal-scoring opportunties and they were two up eight minutes later, with a goal that included everything that is good about the game, three or four passes all on the ground and a cool finishing touch from close range.

Darren Smith was the main architect as he raced past on-loan Falkirk defender, Mark Staunton, and crossed to the far post, where Michael Paton applied the finishing touches.

Charlie King then went agonisingly close to what would have been the culmination of another excellent exchange of passes, only for Chris Robertson to save his side with a last gasp tackle to clear the ball for a corner as King was about to pull the trigger.

King had another half chance, but couldn't divert a left-foot attempt goalwards after some good approach work on the right from Byers and Murie.

Ayr were awarded a free-kick and Davie White picked up rather a harsh booking for his challenge on Craig Pettigrew. Following their free-kick, which came to nothing, Craig Nelson was forced to comfortably hold a long-range shot from Paul Weaver, the Brechin goalkeeper's only save of the entire first 45 minutes.

On the stroke of half -time Ayr's David Lowing was eventually sent off. His challenge on City's Michael Paton, had it happened in the street, would have meant a court appearance on the Monday morning.

His challenge was not only high, it was with the sole of the boot. Brechin's players were bewildered initially when Mr Salmond chose to caution Lowing for the challenge. Their protests to assistant referee, Gary Kirkwood, eventually led to Lowing being shown a straight red card.

All credit to Mr Kirkwood. So many referee's assistants will never question the decision made by the ref, but he had a better view and, with no end of assistance from the clearly angered Brechin players, made it clear to the ref what was the correct course of action.

Little wonder that sections of the home support offered little in the way of sympathy as a player known as "Psycho" left the field. His Saturday afternoons would certainly be better spent at the pictures.

Having been outfought, out-thought and outplayed in the opening 45 minutes, Ayr almost played with a 3-3-3 formation for much of the second half and City didn't start this period of the game as well.

Mr Salmond was again in the thick of things after Gareth Wardlaw had skipped past John Ward inside the box.

He ran straight into David Murie, who immediately lifted his hands in the air and went down like a 'sack o tatties'. Penalty said the referee, and Craig Nelson responded with a save that was probably as good as any he has made through his long and distinguished career.

Alex Williams struck the ball well to the goalkeeper's right, but he dived full-length to push the ball up on to the crossbar. The City custodian's second save of the afternoon was worth the admission money alone.

Back came Brechin and Davie White looked like he had made it three with a header from a corner. But the ball hit the top of Diack's head and bounced agonisingly past the post.

The game had died a little, with Ayr offering little and Charlie King did his best to liven it up when he cut into the box from the left, only to be denied by an excellent save from Mark McGeown in the home goal.

The same player was influential in setting up Darren Smith as City continued to press and the Brechin captain was unfortunate to see his dipping effort from 20 yards go narrowly over the bar.

City introduced Calum Smith for Ian Diack and Nicky Walker for Michael Paton in an effort to kill the game off and even that went right for Michael O'Neill. In fact, with Nicky Walker's pace, all he needed was Murray Walker to be commentating as he showed a clean pair of heels to the home defence in the 90th minute to steer home his first goal for the club and give the scoreline a more realistic look to it.

Brechin never had to be in top gear in the second half.

In Davie White they had the best player on the field yet again, fellow centre back Ward also playing well. King, Smith and Byers put in a great shift in midfield and Paton and Diack continue to impress in the forward line.

Ayr United - McGeown, Staunton (McLeod), Robertson, Henderson, McGowan, Pettigrew (Marshall), Weaver, Keenan, Lowing, Wardlaw and Williams.

Brechin City - Craig Nelson, Murie, Ward, White, Dyer, Byers (Richard Walker), Paton (Nicholas Walker), Janczyk, Darren Smith, Diack (Calum Smith) and King.
Referee - G. Salmond; crowd - 1103.