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Raith Rovers moved one point clear in second place in the Scottish Championship after being held at home by Ayr United.

The Kirkcaldy side are now 14 points behind Hearts with two games in hand.

Visiting goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo was twice called into action in the early stages of the second half to thwart Reghan Tumilty and Gozie Ugwu.

Ayr came close in the first half when a curling shot from Cammy Smith whizzed just wide of Jamie Macdonald's post.

Prior to that chance, Michael Moffat had been denied by a brilliant Kyle Benedictus challenge inside the penalty area.

Rovers' Ross Matthews raced clear and slipped a shot under the advancing Sinisalo only for the ball to roll past the target

And, after stopping an effort from Tumilty, Sinisalo did well to push away a header from substitute Ugwu that had struck the inside of the post.

Tom Walsh had a stoppage-time shot saved by Macdonald and Ayr United, who hope to appoint a managerial successor to Mark Kerr later this week, slip to seventh in the table.

Raith Rovers manager John McGlynn: "I thought we had an excellent first half and could have been two or three up our play was so good, but Ayr are always a threat on the counter-attack.

"We got a lot of crosses in and the only thing that was missing was a goal. We kept trying to play the right way but we just couldn't get through them."

Ayr United interim manager David White: "It was a really good game, two teams with good balance going for the win. We coped with Raith as well as causing them a few problems.

"The guys gave their maximum and finished on the front foot. The new manager will have a good base to hit the ground running."