Two goals in the last seven minutes sent holders Kilmarnock spinning from the Scottish Cup in a Somerset Park stormer.

A replay looked on the cards until Ayr's Jim Dick headed home an Ian Ferguson cross to stun the Premier League side.

Two minutes later Ayr wrapped it up when Ferguson showed super skills to coolly lob the ball over stranded keeper Gordon Marshall.

Ice man keeper Kristjan Finnbogason was Ayr's hero with a string of super saves to win the sponsors' man of the match award.

The game had been in doubt and need World Cup referee Hugh Dallas to make two pitch inspections before giving the go-ahead on a rain-soaked surface.

Tackles flew in fast and furious and overworked Dallas was forced to flash the yellow card eight times.

Hero keeper Finnbogason made a great first half save at the feet of Ally Mitchell as Killie opened with a blaze of fire.

After the break Killie piled on the pressure and Finnbogason had great saves from Gary Holt and Mark Roberts in quick succession.

But Ayr gave them a warning in the 65th minute when a John Traynor header from a Gary Bowman corner landed on the roof of the net.

Killie ignored the danger signs and they paid a heavy price as Ayr left it late to celebrate their first Scottish Cup win over Kilmarnock since 1924.

Ferguson set up the 83rd minute opener with a good cross from the right and Dick finished clinically with a back-post header.

French sub Laurent Djaffo set up the clinching second goal two minutes later when he fed the ball through to Ferguson who coolly picked his spot with a measured lob.

Teams

Ayr: Finnbogason, Robertson, Hogg (Djaffo 64), Millen, Burns, Anderson, Dick, Traynor, Ferguson, Agnew, Bowman.

Subs Not Used: Boner, Castilla.

Booked: Millen, Dick, Agnew.

Goals: Dick 83, Ferguson 85.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, Baker, Lauchlan, McGowne, Reilly, Mitchell (Bagan 84), Holt, Wright, Roberts (Henry 85), Vareille (McIntyre 70).

Booked: Marshall, Lauchlan, Mitchell, McGowne.

Att: 9,286

Ref: H Dallas (Motherwell).