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Kenny Shiels made two changes for Kilmarnock's Scottish Communities League Cup semi-final against Ayrshire rivals Ayr United at Hampden.

Central defenders Mohamadou Sissoko and Zdenek Kroca dropped out, the latter starting on the bench, replaced by debutant Michael Nelson and midfielder James Dayton, with skipper Manuel Pascali moving back into defence.

Killie midfielder Dean Shiels shrugged off an illness to keep his place while, for the Irn-Bru First Division side, midfielder Alan Trouten returned following a hamstring injury and striker Gareth Wardlaw came back in, with Mark Roberts and Adam Dodd on the bench.

HT: Ayr United 0 Kilmarnock 0 Killie began to turn the screw with Ayr captain John Robertson having to head a chip from Killie midfielder Garry Hay off the line at the expense of another corner, which came to nothing.

The SPL side strengthened their grip on the game and in the 26th minute Hay ended another spell of pressure with an effort from distance which Cuthbert clutched to his chest.

Ayr's first effort on goal came in the 33rd minute when wide man Michael McGowan sent a free-kick from 25 yards curling over the Killie bar, before Shiels again drove wide at the other end.

In the 38th minute Cuthbert made a close-range save from Ben Gordon after the Killie defender had raced into the Ayr box to confirm the feeling the first half was destined to remain goalless.

INTRO: Kilmarnock could not find a way past Ayr United in the first half of their Scottish Communities League Cup semi-final at Hampden.

The Clydesdale Bank Premier League side dominated possession and had their Ayrshire rivals pushed back into their own half for the majority of the first 45 minutes.

However, the closest Killie came to scoring was when John Robertson had to clear a dangerous chip from Garry Hay away for a corner from just under the bar.