Doncaster Knights 32 - 7 Ayr: Warnock takes leading role as Knights slay Ayr

Published on Sunday 22 November 2009 23:17

FORMER Edinburgh stand-off Ally Warnock wrecked Ayr's quest to launch their British and Irish Cup quest in positive style yesterday with a personal haul of 15 points.

Warnock, who left Currie to continue his pro career down south, was one of six Scots in the Doncaster Knights squad – former Edinburgh hooker Steve Lawrie, Dougie Flockhart, Neil Cochrane, Stuart Corsar and Stephen McColl all featuring – but he was the most prolific, grabbing a try and slotting a series of pinpoint kicks to help clinch a 32-7 success at Castle Park.

The Yorkshire outfit, coached by former Edinburgh chief Lynn Howells, were in control from the start and it came as little surprise when they carved out two scores in the opening quarter. They broke the deadlock with an effort by centre Hudson Tonga'uiha in the wake of a powerful pack drive and though Warnock missed the conversion, the Scottish fly-half added the extras when Chris Planchant went over from close-range.

Ayr defended stoutly for the remainder of the half, only to fall further behind to a Warnock penalty eight minutes after the restart, and he repeated the dose from close-range before Matty Williams raced in for a third try, converted by Warnock.

Ayr pulled a try back when Ross Curle set up Steve Adair for a score, converted by Mark Stewart, only for that man Warnock to have the final say by intercepting and running the length of the field and converting for a satisfying day for the Scot.

Scorers: Doncaster: Tries: Tonga'uiha, Planchant, Williams, Warnock. Pens: Warnock 2. Cons: Warnock 3. Ayr: Try: Adair. Con: Stewart.

Doncaster: A Carter; D Flockhart, C Briers, H Tonga'uiha, L Williams; A Warnock, M D'Arcy; T Davies, S Lawrie, M Cusack, B Griffiths, G Townson, S Boyde, N Cochrane, C Planchant. Subs: S Corsar, S Boden, S Grainger, L Thiede, S McColl, C Hallam, A Kettle.

Ayr: D Steele; A Wilson, M Stewart, G Anderson, R Taylor; R Curle, J Hunter; H Mitchell, P MacArthur, G Sykes, S Sutherland, D Kelly, J Crossan, A Dunlop, G Tippett. Subs: S Nimmo, S Adair, G Reid, G Francis, A MacFarlane, S Manning, S Fenwick.

Attendance: 1,294