That's more like it from Chris Maguire.

His free-kick deep on the right causes far more problems, finding Sam Ashford on the run, but the ball bounces off his shoulder and goes behind.

Arbroath defender Colin Hamilton has been injured in the process, and he'll trod off in place of early substitute Steven Hetherington.

Poor corner to concede from Ricky Little as the Arbroath defender carelessly touches the ball behind under feeble pressure.

Chris Maguire can't take advantage from the set-piece, firing in a couple of disappointing deliveries.

Dipo Akinyemi already with a sniff at goal, and what a goal it would have been.

The prolific Ayr striker fires an audacious volley inside 20 seconds, but it soars well wide of the Arbroath goal.

We're off at a typically windy Gayfield.

How big a factor will the conditions play? Let's find out...

Both managers have had their say pre-match.

Dick Campbell has reiterated that Arbroath's aim is always to stay in the Championship, while Lee Bullen says that a trip to Gayfield is "one of the hardest places to go" in the Championship.

Which gaffer will come out on top?

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

I'm definitely about to jinx it, but I *think* we should be in for an entertaining affair in Angus this evening.

Ayr United are one of the division's great showmen, having only featured in two goalless draws all season. They don't do dull.

This particular fixture has strong recent history, too. Yes, there was a 0-0 between the pair at the start of the season, but that was the first goalless game they had contested since September 2004.

Apologies for spoiling the fun in advance.

I imagine Ayr United fans would rather I didn't remind them of that penalty miss in the Scottish Cup quarter-final a few weeks back...

The good news for them is that Chris Maguire, the man who fluffed the spot-kick, has made a step towards rectifying that mark on his record.

Lying deeper than usual, the experienced striker wowed the Somerset faithful last week with his influence in behind Dipo Akinyemi. In registering two assists, he showed he can play the integral role many he expected he would upon his arrival in Ayrshire.

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Are Arbroath finding the steeliness we expect from them at just the right time?

They're unbeaten in their past five games, having last tasted defeat on 4 February. Mind you, four of those have been draws, but you can bet that in a relegation dogfight, you're taking one point over none.

Three clean sheets in that run show Arbroath are getting their act together at the back, but can they find the spark up top?

Wee fact for you, Arbroath's 13 league draws this season comfortably make them the side with the most stalemates in the SPFL. Only one other side are even in double figures, fellow Championship outfit Morton (10).

It's time to fire up your device and get comfy, because Sportscene has just gone live.

Join Amy Irons with Leanne Crichton and Ayr winger Josh Mullin, with commentary team Alasdair Lamont and James McFadden.

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Need caught up on how things are shaping up in Scottish football's most unpredictable division?

Arbroath pulled off a proper coupon buster last time out, as they overcame league leaders Queen's Park at Ochilview to lift themselves off the foot of the table.

The result would also have put some smiles on the faces of The Honest Men, with a win tonight putting them up to second, just two points off Owen Coyle's side at the summit.

Ayr breezed past Arbroath's relegation rivals Cove Rangers 3-0 last Friday, courtesy of goals from Daire O'Connor, Jayden Mitchell-Lawson and Dipo Akinyemi - the Championship's top scorer, who can hit his 20th league goal this evening.

It's just the one change from the Arbroath side that shocked the league leaders last time out, as goalscorer Dale Hilson comes in for Sean Adarkwa, who drops out the squad entirely.

In for him is Steven Hetherintgon, who has recovered from illness to take a seat on the bench.

Ayr boss Lee Bullen makes two changes to his team, despite the convincing nature of last weekend's win.

Frankie Musonda and Andy Murdoch are the pair of fresh faces, with Mikey Hewitt and Reece McAlear having to make do with a spot on the sidelines.

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Arbroath: Gaston, Banks, Hamilton, Little, O'Brien, Balde, McKenna, Gold, Dow, Hilson, Stewart

Substitutes: Gill, Jacobs, Linn, Komolafe, Tait, Olusanya, El-Mhanni, Allan, Hetherington

Ayr United: Albinson, McGinty, Musonda, McAllister, Murdoch, Dempsey, O'Connor, Maguire, Ashford, Akinyemi

Substitutes: McAdams, Tomlinson, Mitchell-Lawson, Hewitt, Smith, Bryden, McKenzie, McAlear

Friday night Championship... with some light left in the sky... it's basically summer, troops.

It also means that it's crunch time in the second tier, and boy, do these teams know it. Arbroath are fighting for their lives. Ayr United are still hunting promotion.

All to play for. Just how we like it. Tune in at the top of this page or on the BBC Scotland channel, while I bring you all the updates right here.

Image source, SNS