Ayr 43 - 19 Stirling County: Strong defence provides foundation for Ayr's 'workmanlike win'

"A WORKMANLIKE win in a fragmented game" was Ayr coach Kenny Murray's summing-up of his team's comprehensive victory over a game County side at Millbrae.

"We targeted a bonus-point win to stay top of the league, got that, but we're under no illusions, the next few games are a series of cup ties in which we will have to defend as abrasively as we did today and finish clinically," Murray said.

The coach was delighted with his side's defence, a facet of the game also commented on by opposite number Eddie Pollock, who said: "Ayr are easily the best team we've met this season. Their defence was excellent and we have to seek to match that defensive commitment.

"We were right in the game at 12-24 and in their 22; but we gave the ball away and they punished us. Four of their six tries were self-inflicted wounds."

But County gave it a go and were praised by Murray, who said: "We knew they had a scoring threat and we targeted Dave Denton as a big ball-carrier for them."

Ayr led 21-9 at the break, scoring every time they got into the County 22, while Brian Archibald's three penalties kept the visitors in the game.

Archibald and Ross Curle then exchanged penalties, before Ayr's pressure told in the final 25 minutes as Damien Kelly, Glen Tippett and Curle added to the first-half tries from Mark Bennett, Jono Crossan and Richard McCallum.

But some kind of honour was salvaged by Archibald's late try and conversion, County deserved at least one touch-down from a game to which they brought much.

Kiwi Frazier Climo's second half re-introduction brought squeals from some of the 350 ladies invited to Ayr's Ladies' Day - what a showman and what a replacement to have.

Scorers: Ayr - Tries: Bennett, Crossan, R McCallum, D Kelly, Tippett, Curle. Cons: Curle (5). Pen: Curle. Stirling County - Try: Archibald. Con: Archibald. Pen: Archibald (4).

Ayr: Ferguson; A Wilson, Bennett, R McCallum, Taylor; Curle, MacFarlane; Reid, McArthur, Fenwick, D Kelly, D Stewart, Crossan, Calhoun, Tippett. Subs used: Forrest, Climo, Nimmo, Sykes A Kelly.

Stirling County: McGowan; Lyall, Addison, Archibald, Lindsay; Hope, Calder; McDonald, Moffat, Black, Deacons, Gilchrist, Denton, Eadie, Barsanti. Subs used: Simpson, Brodie, Boswell, T Edwards, Mountford.

Referee: C Rudkin.