BT Premiership: Ayr overcome league leaders Melrose

Ayr’s better game management saw them defeat their visitors 11-7 to displace them from the summit of the BT Premiership, in a nail-biting encounter in the Millbrae glaur. The final margin was tight, but, while saying defeat was: “Not the end of the world”, a disappointed Melrose coach Rob Chrystie conceded, the home side had deserved to win.The winning Ayr try came when ‘Rose were down to 14 men, Nick Beavon yellow carded for not rolling away, but, such was the Melrose defensive commitment, it took Ayr until the final seconds of Beavon’s ban to manufacture the space for Cammy Taylor to score their try.Their other six points came from two Frazier Climo penalties in the first half, while Melrose’s points came from a superb length of the field break-out try, in ten minutes. Ayr pressure on the visitors line conceding a free ball, which Melrose ran out, for Murdo McAndrew to touch down and Jason Baggot convert.However, this was just about the only time the ‘Rose could bloom in the face of doughty defence from the home side.The Ayr pack, who played unchanged throughout, were always in charge, with Robin McAlpine pirating a number of attacking Melrose lines-out. However, particularly in the first half, Ayr were guilty of butchering excellent opportunities – seven times they either knocked-on or gave away penalties when in the Melrose “red zone”. But, it all came good for them in the end.It didn’t help the visitors’ cause that Fraser Thomson had to go off – he tweaked a hamstring in the build-up to McAndrew’s try, while neither Climo nor Baggott were entirely on-song from the kicking tee. Melrose also finished the game with 14 men, Jamie Bhatti getting an early finish after being pinged for a “no-arms” tackle.So, four points for Ayr and a losing bonus for Melrose at the end of what was, in grim conditions, a fascinating game. “The boys played the conditions better and I am delighted at this win, particularly since we had to re-jig the team because of injuries, said Ayr coach Calum Forrester. Elsewhere, Hawick secured their first win of the season with an impressive 36-26 victory over Boroughmuir at Mansfield Park, while Heriot’s lost out to Glasgow Hawks 30-19 at Goldenacre. Watsonians overcame Currie at Myreside 16-18 to retain their place in the top four, as Stirling County defeated Gala 31-18 at Bridgehaugh to cement their mid-table position. Ayr: G Anderson, C Taylor, DMcCluskey, S McDowall, C Gossman, F Climo, Da Armstrong; G Hunter, D Young, S Longwell, R McAlpine, S Sutherland, W Bordill, G Henry, B Macpherson. Replacements not used: R Smith, A Prentice, C Stevenson, R Dalgleish, J Bova.Melrose: F Thomson, R McCann, R Taylor, C Jackson, A Lockington, J Baggott, M McAndrew; J Bhatti, R Anderson, N Beavon, R Knott, J Head, N Irvine-Hess, G Runciman, I Moody. Replacements used: C McKay, D Elkington, A Grieve, B Godsmark. Not used: S Hutchinson.Referee: Lloyd Linton.