Ayr topple BT Premiership rivals Heriot’s

Ayr cemented their position at the top of the BT Premiership table with a 20-8 victory over reigning champions Heriot’s at Millbrae.  Glasgow Warriors’ Greg Peterson wasted little time in making his mark on his BT Premiership debut, bullocking over to put Ayr in front, after 65 seconds of the battle of the league’s top two. Frazier Climo converted and, as Ayr sought to build on this, it looked bad for the visitors. But, hot-headedness at the breakdown, and some shoddy handling put the brakes on the Ayr charge and, after the home side had perhaps become disillusioned at their own failings, Heriot’s took charge. However, for all they dominate possession and territory for the remainder of the match, they struggled to dent an Ayr defence which was almost exemplary. You could have counted the missed first-up Ayr tackles on the fingers of one hand and, in the end, this defensive excellence carried the day. All Heriot’s had to show for lengthy periods deep in the Ayr half was a 19th minute Graham Wilson penalty, and, at the break, the sides turned round with the score-line at 7-3 in Ayr’s favour. Referee Lloyd Linton had to reach for his yellow card in 47 minutes, Hwriot’s Max Learmonth going to the naughty step for a deliberate knock-on. Ayr made good use of his absence four minutes into the ten-minute spell of having a one-man advantage, Junior Bulukakau, once himself of Goldenacre latching onto a Frazier Climo cross-kick, off a free ball. Climo converted and Ayr led 14-3. Learmonth returned and almost immediately, when he and Craig Gossman contested an aerial ball, it sparked-off a spot of handbags, which saw respective full backs, Grant Anderson and John Semple sin binned. Ayr scored a further two penalties during the full backs’ absence, the kicks neatly book-ending a well-worked try for the visitors, Ross Nimmo getting the touch-down as the Heriot’s maul worked really well. Climo’s second penalty, in 68 minutes seemed to have settled things for Ayr, but, the league leaders still had to see-out an anxious final five minutes after skipper Ross Curle was yellow-carded, for a high tackle. Heriot’s threw everything at Ayr in this period, in a vain attempt to salvage a losing bonus point, but, as before, the home defence stood firm. Elsewhere in the BT Premiership, Currie won 18-13 on the road to Glasgow Hawks to cement their place in the top four. Hawick defeated Selkirk 35-18 at Mansfield Park, Gala built on their recent form with a 28-19 victory away to Boroughmuir and Melrose toppled Stirling County 29-14 at The Greenyards.  Ayr: Grant Anderson; Haddon McPherson, Archie Russell, Ross Curle CAPTAIN, Craig Gossman; Frazier Climo, David Armstrong; George Hunter, Lewis Anderson, Javan Sebastian, Scott Sutherland, Greg Peterson, Blair Macpherson, Andrew Dunlop, Pete McCallum. Replacements: Steven Longwell, D’arcy Rae, Graham Fisken, Ali Price, Junior Bulumakau.  Heriot’s: John Semple; Charlie Simpson, Max Learmonth, Cameron Ferguson, John Rae; Gregor McNeish, Graham Wilson; Murray McCallum, Stewart Mustard, Struan Cessford, Russell Nimmo, Roan Van Heerden, Jack Turley CAPTAIN, Ian Wilson, Struan Dewar. Replacements: Chris Mulligan, Martin Bouab, Jamie Syme, Tom Wilson, Liam Steele.