Ayr 38 - 17 West of Scotland: Error-strewn game lands in Ayr's favour

THIS five tries to two win for Ayr might seem fairly comfortable, but the truth is, this was an error-strewn match. The winners' handling and decision-making wasn't as good as it might have been, but, on reflection, their mistakes were fewer than those of referee Gary Gordon and his stand side touch judge.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Oct 2010, 18:34 BST
Updated 10th Oct 2010, 00:51 BST

Ayr's forward power was crucial, but full credit to West for their "run everything" attitude, which caused Ayr some anxious moments and produced two spectacular long-range tries for the flying Callum McKenzie.

The first quarter was fairly even, with Gordon Reid scoring the first of Ayr's six tries, while Alisdair Stevenson kicked a penalty for West.

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In the second quarter, however, Ryan Wilson and Cammy Taylor's tries put them 19-3 up at half time.

McKenzie's first try got the second half started with a bang, but Ayr's response saw tries for Andy Dunlop and a typical Damien Kelly effort, before McKenzie's second solo effort for West eight minutes from time.

However, in the final minute, Richard McCallum got over for Ayr and with Mark Bennett converting four of the tries, there was no disputing the outcome.

Ayr also managed to blank two ten-minute periods at 14 men due to sin binnings for Grant Anderson and Ross Curle in the second half. But coach Kenny Murray was not best-pleased with his side's display.

"We got a bonus point, but our passing was poor," said the unhappy coach.

Scorers: Ayr: Tries: Reid, Wilson, Taylor, Dunlop, Kelly, McCallum. Cons: Bennett (4). West of Scotland: Tries: McKenzie (2). Cons: Stevenson (2). Pens: Stevenson.

Ayr: Anderson, Wilson, Bennett, McCallum, Taylor, Curle, MacFarlane; Reid, Adair, Sykes, D Stewart, Nimmo, Crossan, Wilson, Dunlop. Subs: Beckwith, Steele, McArthur, Kelly, Tippett.

West of Scotland: Sim, Curtis, Dalgleish, Matheson, McKenzie, Stevenson, McConnell; McLaren, Carmichael, Henderson, Calpine, Jenkinson, Walker, D McFarlane, Fiskin. Subs: Davids, Malone, Haswell, Ross, De Saint Croix.

Referee: G Gordon.