Binos left Aitken all over.

Byline: EWAN SMITH

STIRLING ALB ....1 AYR UTD .....2 (aet)

ANDY AITKEN netted his first competitive strike for four years to earn Ayr a nailbiting extra-time win.

The defender - who last hit the net with a spectacular own goal against Romanian champions Unirea Uricenzi - fired home from close range with just six minutes left.

That saved Ayr's blushes against a Stirling side that saw Andrew Graham and Ross Forsyth red carded after Stewart Devine's opener for the hosts had been cancelled out by William Easton.

And Aitken (right) said: "It's about four years since I last got a goal at the right end but I did score an own goal against the Romanians a few weeks ago.

"It was quite spectacular - I lobbed our keeper from 20 yards - but thankfully the boys haven't given me too much stick!

"We were all grateful for that goal at the end, though, because Stirling were defending like their lives depended on it and I thought it was heading for penalties.

"Now we can look forward to the next round and hope we get an SPL side to bring some cash in."

Ayr's first chance came in 10 minutes when Kevin James' header from a Chris Aitken corner was well saved by Scott Christie.

Then the Binos twice denied Mark Roberts before Ayr were caught with a sucker punch, in 16 minutes when Michael Mullen dribbled past three defenders before cutting the ball back for Devine to bundle it over the line.

Despite their pressure it took Ayr until the 60th minute to level thanks to Easton's stunning 25-yard drive.

Graham was red carded for a second bookable offence as was Forsyth as the game went in to extra time.

Despite being two men to the good Ayr struggled to kill off Stirling and after David Gormley had twice come close with headers it took Aitken's strike to settle it.