Ayr 24 - 13 Dundee HSFP: Ayr rein in adventurous side

AYR got back to winning ways with an impressive forward display to down Dundee at Millbrae. The capricious wind made kicking a lottery, and, after struggling in the early stages, Ayr opted for a no-frills, risk-aversive nine-man game, which carried them to victory.

The home side’s start was dire. Cam Brown made them pay for indecision at the scrum with a fourth-minute penalty and, three minutes later, skipper Mark Stewart limped off with medial ligament damage.

But in eight minutes Jonnon Willis was driven over from a short-range lineout, Andy Wilson converted and Ayr were in the lead.

As the game moved into its second quarter, Dundee scored a superb try, Rob Lavery’s long pass releasing Cam Wyper for the supporting Ross Lemon to score, Brown converting.

But a brilliant series of 13 successive pick-ups and drives by the home pack took them from the Dundee ten-metre line to the try line where Colin White scored and Wilson converted. But right on the break a second Brown penalty made it 14-13.

AJ MacFarlane and Chris Cumming spent time in the sin-bin during the third quarter, with Wilson stretching Ayr’s lead from the penalty for Cumming’s misdemeanour.

Then, in 62 minutes, there was another great series of drives from the home pack for Murray McConnell to go over. Wilson again converted and Ayr seemed home free.

Disciplined Dundee defence denied Ayr a bonus-point try, while Ayr showed similar defiance to deny Dundee a losing bonus.