Melrose 20 - 3 Ayr: Experience and youth proves to be a potent mix for Melrose

MELROSE showed the determination and doggedness that earmarks the Scottish champions as the team to beat in the title race run-in.

On Saturday, it was a mixture of experience – Cammie Murray – and youth, Bruce Dick, which left Ayr floundering with the cup and British-Irish competition as their only goals left this season.

Dick, a recruit from Gala who went home again and then returned to Melrose, said: “I have no regrets as this is a great club. At the time, I was frustrated and, in the end, I am a Gala boy.”

He added: “Then there was an opportunity and I came back, but I have no regrets of returning [to Gala], and there is a real professional environment here [at Melrose].

Of the game, he said: “Ayr did put some pressure on us at times, but I felt that we always had the edge.”

Melrose were strong in defence as the players held on at the end of the first half, while their exuberance and skill were valuable components in the second.

Captain Graeme Dodds said: “That was a big win for us and we had to work for it, as they have a big pack and we had not played for three weeks.

“But as far as winning the championship, there are still five massive games to play yet.”

Ayr coach Kenny Murray admitted that the league was out of reach. “We are playing catch-up now. We did not take our chances in the first half, and then lost a soft try early on in the second. Melrose went on to manage the game very well, and we did not.”

In the first half, Ayr just dominated the spoils to take a 3-0 lead through a Sylvain Diez penalty – although Andrew Skeen missed one for Melrose – but had little to offer after the interval and the final scoreline was a fair reflection on the run of play.

The Melrose pack was dominant in most phases of the game once the players had shaken the effects of the long lay-off and despite an injury to Grant Runciman, who was replaced by David Crawford, continued to show the club’s strength in depth.

Ayr also juggled their side with replacements, but on the heavy pitch the players struggled to renew that energy which they had shown in the first half.

Mark Stewart, behind the Melrose pack, was an aggressive runner, while forwards struggled with the pace of the game.

The Melrose cover-work was incisive and, overall, they kept Ayr to one penalty.

Dick’s first try in 41 minutes proved a pivotal point and showed the value of veteran Murray, who broke the line of defence with a strong run and gave the scoring pass for Skeen to convert.

At 7-3, the outcome was tight until Skeen, who had earlier missed a drop-goal attempt, banged over two penalty kicks in the space of five minutes, and Dick’s second try during the seven minutes of injury time, secured, what was in the end, a comfortable win – and more celebrations to mark centre Jamie Murray’s wedding.