Currie 24-12 Ayr: City side impress to close gap at the top

CURRIE scrum-half Richard Snedden admitted the prospect of the champions effectively surrendering their title before this weekend's premiership rugby split drove them to new heights in a 24-12 win over Ayr at Malleny Park.

Leaders Ayr had travelled with a 12-point cushion over Currie who simply couldn't afford any more setbacks.

Snedden said: "We needed to get back in the race after a very disappointing defeat at Hawick the previous week and not only have we done that but we remain unbeaten at home in the league coming on for two years now."

Clearly, defending their fortress was another motivation for a side who remain fifth but have cut the gap on new leaders Melrose to ten points.

And the spirit was summed up by the diminutive Snedden when he returned 18 minutes and a half-time interval after being led off dazed and disorientated.

That was because Snedden came off second best in an accidental collision with Ayr captain Damien Kelly who is around five stones heavier.

"Damien and I have roomed together on Scotland club international trips and we enjoy a lot of banter but he doesn't hold back on the field," said Snedden.

"When Damien caught me a glancing blow with an arm to the side of the head I was dazed, seeing stars and not really knowing what was going on for a bit. Fortunately I was able to get back on to help the lads see things through."

No disrespect to utility back Andrew Binikos who filled in well, but an out-and-out scrum-half like Snedden to get the back line flowing again was just what Currie needed and it seemed the turning point was when he returned with his team 8-12 adrift.

Almost immediately, Hayden Abercrombie kicked the first of three penalties in the space of 12 minutes and Currie were cruising so much so that they were able to deny Ayr anything by way of a bonus increment through a Ryan Wilson try inevitably converted.

"That was an all-round team effort" said Snedden. "Gary Temple got his chance at second row where our captain, Andy Adam, is out with a broken arm and he was outstanding while Mark Cairns was everywhere in turning over opposition possession.

"We've been struggling a bit with our goal-kicking recently but not only has Hayden found his best position at centre but he slotted five out of six while the defence throughout was solid."

This was summed up when Ayr hooker Stuart Fenwick prepared to dot down for a try only to find Currie had got back en masse to hold him up over the line.

"Our scrambled defence served us well," said Snedden with notable understatement and, having followed Currie's fortunes virtually since their inception 40 years ago, this observer has rarely - if ever - seen them play better.

The phrase "bodies on the line" could have been invented for Currie on current form and the contribution of Cairns, in particular, has to be taken into account when Murrayfield's player of the season honours are eventually distributed.

Ayr are no slouches but early on Andy Macmahon, Johnny Smith, Ross Weston and Matthew Scott all cut swathes through them in the outside channels and one of the most pleasing aspects was the authority being shown by the last named, still only 20, at stand-off.

Currie will use a break in the leagues to regroup but it is clear there will be no backing off with coach Ally Donaldson pinpointing areas for improvement.

"We didn't take all our chances and passed up on scoring tries on either side of half-time," he said. "We could have shown a bit more composure. That comes from winning, though, and that's what we were doing last year. But now we are getting confidence back and there is still a hell of a lot of rugby to be played."

In a match where Mike Entwhistle (Currie) and Ayr pair Dean Stewart and Gordon Reid were sin-binned, the scoring began with Abercrombie notching a penalty, although he couldn't convert when Andy MacMahon handed off both Stuart Fenwick and Richard McCallum for his third try of the season.

Reid and Mark Bennett scored a try apiece and with Ross Curle adding a conversion, Ayr led 12-8 after 49 minutes.

Cue a magnificent fightback featuring Abercrombie's exemplary kicking and a try from Ryan Wilson to set before his parents who were visiting from New Zealand.

Scorers:

Currie: Tries: MacMahon, Wilson. Conversion: Abercrombie. Penalties: Abercrombie (4).

Ayr: Tries - Reid, Bennett. Conversions:Curle (2).

Currie: J Smith, A Turnbull, H Abercrombie, A MacMahon, D Fife,M Scott, R Snedden, J Cox, S Simonsen, A Hamilton, R Wilson, G Temple, M Cairns, captain, R Weston, M Entwhistle. Subs: N Scobie, R Merrilees, A Best, A Binikos, J Johnstone.

Ayr: G Anderson, A Wilson, M Bennett, R McCallum, C Taylor, R Curle, A MacFarlane, G Reid, S Fenwick, A Kelly, D Kelly, captain, D Stewart, J Crossan, S Forest, S Adair, G Sykes, G Tippet.

Referee: N Paterson (Dundee).