Lightweight Ayr given runaround by streetwise London Scottish outfit

But, if last night’s pre-season challenge at Richmond is any indicator – those days are past. A very young Ayr pack, woefully short of poundage and experience in the front five, was, particularly in the first half, put through the mincer by a big and abrasive London Scottish eight, who were the catalyst of the Exiles’ big win.

The visitors were denied a possible try in three minutes, referee Phil Davies re-calling skipper Ross Curle when clear after pirating loose ball in midfield, but the first try came in ten minutes, the Scottish pack showing some great off-loading for prop Alex Clarke to charge over.

Three mintues later Ayr levelled, there was no re-call whistle this time as Curle again pirated ball in midfield to sprint 60 metres to between the posts and give Nick Elrick a simple conversion.

But the Exiles’ adoption of that tried and tested English ploy, the driving maul was shown to be highly-effective during the second quarter.

In 20 and again 27 minutes, the pack drove Ayr back big distances and both times, lock Steve Pape peeled-off for the touchdown.

Then, right on half-time, great sleight of hand by the home backs and an absolutely unstoppable straight-line sprint carried winger Steven Hihetah over between the posts.

Mugford, who had earlier kicked a penalty, answered in kind by Elrick, goaled three of the four conversions and at the break, Scottish deservedly led by 19 points.

The home side were camped on the Ayr line from the resumption and it was no surprise when slick cross-field passing allowed winger Tim Holgate to go over in the corner in 42 minutes; even less of a surprise that Mugford should convert from the touchline.

In 46 minutes, the Ayr pack, who had gone backwards at a rate of knots after Scott Sutherland’s injury-hit departure in 25 minutes, was further slimmed-down with the departure of Australian new boy Josh Dunning – Julian Rae coming on.

The forward contest was now acutely one-sided and, after Mugford kicked a penalty to touch right in the corner, it was with a sense of inevitability when Scottish drove the resultant line-out and replacement Tom Standfield drove over for their sixth try, this one unconverted.

But Ayr showed they could still pose a threat off limited rations with a well-worked try in 62 minutes.

Nick Elrick chipped over the Scottish defence, Robbie Fergusson gathered, replacement Campbell Ogilvie almost reached the line, but the visitors re-grouped and good handling right gave full back Andy Wilson acres of room in which to touch-down for an unconverted try, which gave the Premiership side fresh hope.

They certainly had as much of the game as their hosts in the final quarter, but they couldn’t find the cutting edge of Scottish, who had the last word when the impressive Ollie Groves finished off a swift counter-attack and James Brown goaled the conversion, before, right at the death, Holgate’s second try took the Exiles over the half century with his second try, which was unconverted.

Scorers: London Scottish: Tries: Clarke, Pape (2), Hihetah, Holgate (2), Standfield, Grove; Cons: Mugford (4), James Brow; Pen: Mugford. Ayr: Tries: Curle, Wilson; Con: Elrick; Pen: Elrick.

London Scottish: Bordiss; Holgate, Peel, Grove, Hihetah; Mugford, Heeks; Clarke, Kwasnicki, MacKenzie, Pape, Josh Brown, O Brown, Andrews, Kellard. Subs used: Standfield, James Brown, Adamson, Stevenson. Not used: Auterac, Thiede, Rudzki.

Ayr: Wilson; Dalgleish, Curle, Fergusson, Manning; Elrick, Diez; Laidlaw, Wisneski, Davidson, Dunning, Sutherland, P McCallum, Doneghan, Fisken. Replacements used: McPherson, McConnell, Rae, Ogilvie, Young, Beckwith, Kerr, Singh, AJ MacFarlane, Taylor.

Referee: P Davies (RFU).