RBS Premiership Rugby: Ayr 17 - 13 Heriot’s

Published on 30/09/2012 00:00

CONCEDING a converted try when reduced to 14 men via a yellow card made for a difficult final quarter for Ayr but they held on to continue their unbeaten progress at the top of the RBS Premiership, writes Matt Vallance at Millbrae.

The first quarter was all Ayr, who scored two unconverted tries, hooker Hayden Wisnewski and lock Scott Sutherland, below, with his fifth touchdown in six games, the Ayr scorers.

But Heriot’s bounced back strongly in the final ten minutes of the half. Graham Wilson surprisingly missed an easy-looking penalty on the half hour but proceeded to kick his next two attempts at goal, penalties after 33 minutes, then in half-time injury time, to make it a four-point game at the break, 10-6 to Ayr.

Ayr’s three-quarters had lit up the first half with some dazzling breaks, and in 44 minutes, a brilliant break from Craig Gossman found Ross Curle in support and the stand-off scorched home for a try, which Pete Jerecevich converted to make it 17-6.

In 58 minutes, Ayr lock Colin White was yellow-carded and the visiting pack, who had been building up a good head of steam, made their extra man count with a series of forward charges which led to a try from Struan Cessford, converted by Wilson, and suddenly Ayr nerves were jangling.

Things got worse for the home side when Denford Mutamangira joined White in the sin bin but not for nothing do Ayr have the best defensive record in the Premiership. They soaked up every-thing Heriot’s threw at them, before ending the game back on the attack.

They even passed up a reasonable penalty chance in search of the bonus point try, before, in the dying minutes, Jerecevich missed with a penalty.