Ayr didnt appear to leave second gear in an an easy afternoon where they could have reached double figures without breaking sweat.
With Ayr dropping points to lesser oposition in recent weeks caution had to be their watch word. Having finally, after many recent opportunities to hit the top spot in the league, it was only an uninspiring 1-1 home draw in mid-week that finally brought them that lofty poition.
A 'local derby' against bottom club Stratnraer was never to be taken lightly therefore. However the result looked secure even as early as Bryan Prunty's 24th minute opener, when he rose to head home McGowan's left sided cross.
Ayr's top scorer almost doubled the lead on 36 minutes when he turned to fire a Mark Roberts pass inches wide of goal.
But United didn't have to wait long for a second as Roberts and Prunty combined to set up Stevenson, who took one touch before ramming the ball home from close range.
And it was 3-0 before the break when McGowan nodded home Aitken's corner despite the best efforts on the line of Craig Frizzell.
The second half was little more than a training exercise and Ayr's defence, superbly marshalled by debutant Kevin James, was never tested.
It was 4-0 on 49 minutes when Prunty's cutback was neatly dummied by Roberts, and Aitken arrived to hammer home the loose ball from 16 yards.
Prunty twice came close to making it five as he forced Scott Black into a super save and saw another effort fly just wide on the volley.
Brian Reid sent on Williams and David Gormley to freshen the strikeforce and they had an instant impact with Williams going clean through, but he was denied by Black.
He only had to wait a further three minutes for his goal, though, as a long ball was flicked on by Gormley and Williams scampered clear to round Black and score.
The result was a clear statement of intent from Ayr ahead of the trip to Kirkcaldy, where the two title rivals will lock horns in what will be a significant game in deciding where the title, and most importantly, automatic promotion will be settled.