RBS Rugby Premiership: Ayr 39 - 17 Stirling County

By MATT VALLANCE
Published on 16/09/2012 00:00

A 50th-minute yellow card for long-serving County lock Craig Deacons was turning point in this match, writes Matt Vallance at Millbrae.

During his ten-minute absence, Ayr scored 12 unanswered points to turn a 13-17 deficit into a 25-17 lead, from which they pulled away to maintain their unbeaten early season lead in the table.

Brian Archibald’s third-minute penalty for the visitors was cancelled out by home skipper Calum Forrester’s eighth-minute unconverted try. Peter Jerecevich added a penalty, then Robbie Fergusson scored Ayr’s second try for 13-3 to the hosts.

However, Garry Mountford’s close-range charge for a try and late replacement Matt Lamb’s interception effort, both converted by Archibald, enabled County to take a 17-13 lead into the break.

Following Ayr’s golden spell with an extra man, which produced two tries for loose-head prop Nick Cox, the first converted by Jerecevich, the second securing the bonus point, there was no way back for County. In the last ten minutes, Graham Fisken added a fifth try, converted by Jerecevich, before Craig Gossman ran in a magnificent solo try, again converted by Jerecevich.

In injury time, a throat-high, try-saving tackle on Kerr Gossman, by Jonnie Hope, saw County play out time a man short.