Ayr 7 - 32 Cross Keys: Simple approach by visitors proves to be too much for Ayr

PRIOR to kick-off in this British and Irish Cup clash, a Millbrae regular wondered how a small Welsh club could have put 40 points on Moseley’s Second City slickers last week in their British and Irish Cup fixture.

“Well, ye ken noo” – that time-honoured Caledonian comeback to those questioning how something unexpected could have happened – is the response.

Another regular, the product of a Welsh/Scottish marriage, possibly unkindly, described Cross Keys as: “Hawick, but not as sophisticated”. This was apt. The Welsh visitors reminded one of some of the great Green Machines of legend: not the biggest pack of forwards but a very efficient unit feeding a back line which did the simple things superbly.

The result was an emphatic win over Ayr which would have been equally emphatic without the help of Irish referee Michael Black.

Ayr dominated the opening quarter, but never looked like breaching a defence that mixed total commitment and intelligence with illegality to good effect.

Why, during this commanding spell, Ayr captain Mark Stewart repeatedly scorned apparently kickable penalty chances remains a mystery.

Then, on only their third incursion into the Ayr “red zone”, Keys unlocked the home defence. Leon Andrews finished off a quickly-taken line-out on the right in the opposite corner. Steffan Jones missed the conversion, but goaled a penalty for 8-0 at the interval.

In 45 minutes, Jones, brilliantly demonstrated side-stepping still occurs in Welsh rugby, rounded Robbie Fergusson for his own converted try at the posts, before kicking a penalty from inside his own half. Ayr were on the ropes.

The Keys pack proceeded to shunt Ayr over their own line; Dan Hodge, the game’s pantomime villain, being credited with the touch-down, before Kristian Baller completed the win – cancelling-out Michael Doneghan’s earlier consolation try at the other end, which Fergusson converted.

Jones, with 17 points, and buzz-bomb hooker Gerwyn Price were the pick of a Cross Keys side Ayr coach Kenny Murray lauded as “very well organised, very physical and much better than us on the day”. No more need be said.

Scorers: Ayr – Try: Doneghan. Con: Fergusson. Cross Keys – Tries: Andrews, Jones, Hodge, Baller. Cons: Jones (3). Penalties: Jones (2).

Ayr: G Anderson; M Doneghan, R Dalgleish, M Stewart, C Taylor; R Fergusson, M McConnell; G Reid, H Wisnewski, M Low, J Dunning, R McAlpine, A Dunlop, C Forrester, J Willis. Replacements used: S Fenwick, A Kelly, A Brown, R Hawkins, C White, AJ McFarlane, S Diez.

Cross Keys: G David; K Baller, L Andrews, P Williams, N Trowbridge; S Jones, R Dyer; R Cornock, G Price, C Gould, D Hodge, T Lampard, R Peebles, R Nash, J Groves. Replacements used: L Rawlins, J Sollis, M Jones, M Popham, L Williams, N Williams, O Jones.

Referee: M Black (IRFU).

• MELROSE went down 42-20 to Leinster in the British and Irish Cup at Donnybrook.

Fraser Thomson and Allan Dodds scored tries for the visitors. Scott Wight added a conversion and two penalties.

Leinster’s tries came from Brendan Macken (2), Aaron Dundon, Mark Flannigan, Connor Gilfinnan and Luke McGrath. Noel Reid kicked three conversions and two penalties for the home side.