Ayr 16 - 14 Bristol: Millbrae men’s last-gasp score is revenge for last year’s loss

A LAST-minute penalty goal from replacement Sylvan Diez gave Ayr a deserved victory over the British & Irish Cup holders and revenge for their defeat in the quarter-finals last season.

And this result makes all the more bitter the realisation that the Millbrae men have not equalled last season’s achievement of reaching the knockout stages.

On a difficult pitch, the first half was a war of attrition, with Ayr mainly on the defensive, in the face of some superb Bristol mauling, before stand-off Robbie Fergusson’s 24th minute penalty gave them the lead. Ayr stayed ahead until first half injury time, when superb Bristol handling enabled full-back Sean Marsden to go over for the opening try, converted by stand-off Mark Davies.

Fergusson’s second penalty, in 45 minutes, pulled Ayr back into things and Bristol survived a pounding before breaking out, and from a scrum inside the Ayr 22, No.8 Dan Montagu burst over for a try, converted by replacement stand-off Matty James, as the game entered the final quarter.

Only six minutes remained when Ayr skipper Mark Stewart drove over at the posts and Diez converted to make it 13-14. Ayr kept pressing and in the final minute veteran Bristol prop Darren Crompton, who had been yellow-carded along with Ayr’s Scott Sutherland for a spot of “handbags” in the 11th minute, again saw yellow – followed by red.

The silence was eerie as Diez lined up the kick, before drilling the ball between the uprights to give Ayr victory.

Conditions were against running rugby, but both sides can take credit for the intensity of their play. The Ayr pack was often on the back foot, but kept going to out-last their visitors, with No.8 Calum Forrester a popular choice as Man of the Match: his performance summed-up the overall Ayr display.

So ends Ayr’s B&I Cup adventure but everyone at Millbrae is keen to do it again next season.

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. Subs 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. Subs used: R Lawrence, W Davis, H Hone, M Keyte, M James, J Gadd.

Referee: Jason Bessant (WRU).