Battle of the United's Which Ayr Must Win

Steve Bowey and Tam McManus will make their Somerset Park debuts as Ayr hope to play their first league match at home for nearly three months.

A section of the Somerset Park turf under the shadow of the stand has been responsible for that part of the pitch remaining froxen resulting in home matches being called off - something almost unheard of at Ayr for many years.

Ayr United and Airdrie United have been engaged in a battle to avoid the automatic relegation spot and with Ayr not playing matches Airdrie managed to move to within a point of the Somerset Parkers.

However, two away matches on the trot have seen Ayr pick up four points - three after a superb 1-0 win at Dunfermline and then a point at Inverness last Saturday - albeit after Caley had equalised with a last minute penalty have takjen Ayr five points clear.

Confidence is therefore good at Ayr with Billy Gibson returning.  However defender Kevin James remains injured along with on-loan Hearts full-back Ricky Visconte.

Airdrie United midfielder Alan Trouten begins a three-game suspension.

Defender Bobby Donnelly returns after a ban, while midfielder Darren Smith is back in manager Kenny Black's squad after a knee problem.