Ayr 16 - 14 Bristol: Bittersweet Ayr fall short despite win over Bristol

REVENGE, as skipper Mark Stewart noted post-match, was indeed sweet for Ayr – but there was disappointment around Millbrae from the fact that, after beating their conquerors of last season, Ayr had come close to qualification for the knock-out stages of the British and Irish Cup, but were leaving without even a consolation cigar.

Still, again this season they, Melrose and Currie have shown the rest of British rugby that the club game in Scotland is in good health.

The Bristol following at Millbrae enjoyed an encounter as fiercely-fought as any Bristol v Gloucester South West Derby. They saw their pack dominate but never fully subdue an Ayr eight in which Glasgow Warriors’ Calum Forrester and the club’s own Robbie Colhoun were beacons of light. That the English side – the B&I Cup holders – could manage only two tries to Ayr’s one and yet fail to win, speaks volumes about the quality of the Ayr defence and the home side’s discipline.

“I’m proud, we defended superbly against a very good team; this was a big win for us,” Ayr coach Kenny Murray noted.

Teenage stand-off Robbie Fergusson struck two penalties, in 24 and 45 minutes, firstly to put Ayr ahead on limited rations, then to get them back into the game after Sean Marsden’s try, converted by Mark Davies, had underlined the solitary first half occasion Bristol outwitted the home defence, in injury time .

But it was skipper Stewart’s late try and replacement Sylvan Diez’s conversion which convinced the home fans the great escape was on. Prior to this 74th minute seven-pointer, Ayr had trailed by eight points to a wonderful solo effort from Bristol No 8 Dan Montagu, converted by replacement Matty James.

Now, it was again a one-point game, Ayr’s pack had momentum, and when veteran prop Darren Crompton saw red, after his second yellow card of the game, Diez was the epitome of French savoir faire as he goaled the match-winning penalty.

Scorers: Ayr: Try: Stewart. Con: Diez. Pens: Fergusson (2), Diez. Bristol: Tries: Marsden, Montagu. Cons: Davies, James.

Ayr: G Anderson; C Shaw, R Dalgleish, M Stewart, C Taylor; R Fergusson, M McConnell; R Hislop, F Thomson, A Kelly, S Sutherland, C White, A Dunlop, R Colhoun, C Forrester. Replacements used: G Sykes, S Fenwick, R McAlpine, J Willis, S Diez, AJ MacFarlane, M Beckwith.

Bristol: S Marsden; J Letherby, F Otto, W Helu, M Williams; M Davies, T Slater; D Crompton, R Johnston, W Thomson, G Townson, D Barry, J Ovens, M Mama, D Montagu. Replacements used: R Lawrence, W Davis, H Hone, M Keyte, M James, J Gadd.

Referee: Jason Bessant.