Melrose 23 - 36 Ayr: Cup joy for west coast as Ayr force pace

AYR enjoyed a double celebration on their first ever visit to the finals day at Murrayfield, winning the Scottish Hydro Premier Cup and pocketing five precious league points towards their bid to retain the league title. It was a pretty satisfying day for coach Kenny Murray, although his blood pressure probably didn't return to a normal reading until his side scored two late tries to make this one safe.

• Ayr's Paul Burke is tackled by Melrose's Ben Allen

"Up until those two scores in the final ten minutes I thought that this match could have gone either way," said a delighted Murray in the aftermath, taking a sip of water and insisting that it would be the only nonalcoholic one he'd be allowed last night. "Scott Wight was kicking well and we weren't quite getting the territory. I am really proud of the guys, we tired a little but that's what happens when you play so many matches in a short time. We are just ecstatic at winning the cup."

The match had entered the final ten minutes, the Melrose skipper Wight had just dragged his side within six points of Ayr with his third penalty and the Borders side, scenting victory might just be within their grasp, went in search of the winning try. It came, but not for Melrose. Instead Ayr winger Cameron Taylor scored in bizarre circumstances.

Ayr's Ross Curle made a superb jinking run up the left flank before linking with his centre partner Mark Stewart. He passed the ball straight to Melrose's Allan Dodds who threw a loose pass to John Dalziel. It never got to him. Instead the bouncing ball sat up nicely for the speeding Taylor who dived over in the left corner.

Anything you can do… Minutes later Ayr's other wing, Andrew Wilson, finished off a flowing move by beating two defenders with a show of speed and strength on the opposite flank for a superb solo score under the sticks. Ayr were home and hosed and the final touchdown of the afternoon for Jamie Murray came too late to offer Borders fans anything other than a little pride.

A highly competitive match was somewhat marred by the opening exchanges. Immediately after kick-off both sets of forwards joined in a general rammy that went on for a good 30 seconds but there was safety in numbers. At the cessation of hostilities referee Iain Heard was unable to do anything other than wag his finger at the two captains.

Once the players had got that out of their system they put on quite a show of running rugby. Wight opened the scoring with an early penalty but the 'Rose skipper's second contribution a little later was less impressive. Ayr flanker Jono Crossan charged down a clearance kick from the fly-half and was first to collect the bouncing ball for an easy try.

Ayr's celebrations didn't last long. Melrose took play into the Ayr red zone and Wight again went to the boot, only this time his cross-field kick was collected by fullback Thomson and somehow Melrose worked the ball to Ben Allen for the winger to dive over. Wight converted the touchline kick beautifully.

Ayr's fullback Callum Anderson learnt an important lesson about the embarrassing condition known as premature celebration. The fullback found some daylight in the Melrose defence, raced towards the 'Rose line and raised his arm in celebration before he got there. The referee consulted with the linesman who confirmed that a Melrose man, it looked like fullback Thomson, wriggled under the ball and prevented the score.

At least Ayr still had an attacking platform with a five-yard scrum and Anderson's embarrassment was eased a few minutes later when prop Gordon Reid crashed over the Melrose line.

The beginning of the second half was dominated by Melrose who could have moved within a point had Wight kicked his third penalty. Instead the flyhalf hoofed the ball into touch and asked his forwards to drive over from the lineout, a task that was beyond them but not beyond Ayr's big men.

Minutes later the men in pink won a scrum five metres from the Melrose line after a old fashioned hack ahead from Andrew Dunlop. The Ayr forwards drove once, twice, three times before AJ McFarlane found Scott Sutherland lurking on the left wing and the big lock squeezed into the corner.

Staring at a nine-point deficit and with the match moving into the final quarter, Melrose were now forced to chase the game and, to their credit, attempted to do just that. Craig Chalmers threw on a raft of substitutes.

Scott McCormick injected some urgency at scrumhalf and James King bought winger Callum Anderson a few yards space with some neat footwork only for the winger to get collared shy of the line.

They failed to find a try but Wight kicked his third penalty of the afternoon with nine minutes remaining to reduce the deficit to just six points. Melrose went in search of the winner but it was Ayr who found it.

Melrose: Thomson (Dodds 64 min); Anderson, Murray, King, Allen; Wight (capt), Chrystie (McCormick 54 min); Cooney (Beavon 32 min; Cooney 63 min), Mitchell (Gibson 58 min), Higgins, Dodds (Johnson 63 min), Elder, Dalziel, Runciman (McTaggart 68), Miller.

Ayr: Anderson; Taylor, Curle, Stewart, Wilson; Climo, Hunter (McFarlane 44 min); Reid, Fenwick, Sykes (Adair 68 min), Sutherland, Kelly (Capt), Crossan (Tippett 50 min), Dunlop, Tippett (Burke 24 min; Crossan 69 min).

Scorers:

Melrose –

Tries: Allen, Murray;

Cons: Wight (2);

Pens: Wight (3).

Ayr –

Tries: Crossan, Reid, Sutherland, Taylor, Wilson;

Cons: Climo (4);

Pen: Climo.

Referee: I Heard (Gala YM). Attendance: 5616.