Rugby: Deans insists Heriot's have plenty to play for after heartbreak at Ayr

HERIOT'S assistant coach Roddy Deans insists the Goldenacre men still have much to play for before the end of the season.

The defending champions had their hopes of a third successive Scottish Hydro Premier Cup final appearance dashed when they succumbed 23-14 to Ayr in a pulsating encounter at Millbrae on Saturday.

And, with a disastrous start to the league campaign having put paid to their title challenge before the midway point in the programme, there appears to be little at stake over the coming weeks.

However, Deans – deputising for head coach Bob McKillop who was on duty with Scotland Under 19s as they scored a win over their Italian counterparts – is adamant that the Heriot's players have their eye on a repeat participation in the British & Irish Cup. With the possibility that four Scottish teams will contest the cross-border competition next season, that prize remains attainable.

"We want to finish on a high," explained Deans. "We want to get back in the British & Irish Cup which has been outstanding for the boys. Playing against Munster and Bristol away was phenomenal so the boys are really keen to get back into that.

"We've got three league games, we want to win them all and we'll be pushing really hard in those three games to get as many points as we can."

Pointing to the progress the side has made since any hopes of challenging for the league title were crushed by a mountain of injuries in the opening weeks of the season, he added: "We found it difficult at the start of the year but we have really come on to a performance. We've come a long, long way this season."

However, that development came to a juddering halt in Saturday's clash with the current league champions.

Heriot's withstood an early wave of attacks and edged into the lead when Graham Wilson slotted a penalty. That sparked a period in the ascendancy for the Capital side although they were unable to extend their advantage and fell behind to two penalties by Frazier Climo before Wilson slotted a second kick to square matters.

Ayr's game plan focused on limiting the ability of the visitors to move the ball wide and this was largely successful. Heriot's winger Marc Teague was forced to look for work and on one such sortie he was the unlucky man spotted by the referee when the Goldenacre men infringed at a ruck, earning a yellow card and presenting Climo with a penalty which he steered between the sticks to give Ayr a 9-6 interval lead.

However, 44 seconds after the restart, Heriot's managed to unpick the home defence. Recycled ball was moved wide to Colin Goudie who kicked ahead twice and won the race to the line to move his side back into the lead. That advantage was short lived and Cammy Taylor bagged a converted try for the hosts to move them back in front. Wilson stroked over penalty number three to trim the deficit to two points with ten minutes to play and spark a sustained spell of Heriot's pressure.

However, a mixture of bad luck and a home defence that had a first visit to Murrayfield in its sights prevented them adding to their points tally. And, the hosts secured that breakthrough in style when Climo sidestepped his way over with the final play of an engrossing match then added the conversion.

Deans acknowledged the effort of the Heriot's players, saying, "The boys are gutted. We were going for three cup finals in a row. We take heart out of coming to Millbrae and it was 50/50 up to the last couple of minutes.

"Both teams worked really hard and there was a lot of skill. It was always going to go right to the wire and we knew that. We kept the ball for long periods but Ayr's defence was pretty resilient. It was just down to small bounces that's all."

But, with a top four league finish in the sights of the Goldenacre men, Deans was happy with the commitment of the players and satisfied that there are reasons to be positive for the coming weeks.

"I'm very proud and I'm sure Bob would have been proud of the effort we put in. They got a try at the end but it was a closer game than that," he added. "We showed a lot of heart, kept the ball for a long time and when we went through the phases we looked like a strong side going forward."

The focus now switches to achieving victories in the remaining fixtures against Ayr, Edinburgh Accies and Glasgow Hawks. "Now we need to finish in the top four," concluded Deans. "The game against Ayr at home will be a big one for us."

Scorers: Ayr: Tries: Taylor, Climo. Conversions: Climo(2). Penalties: Climo (3). Heriot's: Try: Goudie. Pens: Wilson (3)

Ayr: G Anderson, J McClung, R Curle, M Stewart, C Taylor, F Climo, J Hunter, G Reid, S Adair, S Fenwick, S Sutherland, D Kelly, J Crossan, P Burke, G Tippett. Subs used: G Sykes.

Heriot's: C Goudie, M Teague, P Saunders, R Mill, M Nimmo, G Rutherford, G Wilson, A Dymock, K Bryce, W Blacklock, P OConnor, C Osazuwa, M Maltman, C Fusaro, J Syme. Subs used: N Meikle, M Reid, R Hutton.

CLARK SHINES FOR LASSWADE ON WAY TO NATIONAL SHIELD FINAL

NEIL CLARK was the star man for Lasswade as they booked their place in the Scottish Hydro National Shield final at Murrayfield with a hard-fought last four win over Whitecraigs on Saturday, writes GARY HEATLY.

The visitors to Hawthornden had started the stronger and were 3-0 up, but Lasswade got going and managed to score two converted tries before half-time. Gavin Brown and man of the match Clark got them and the hosts held on to win 14-10 despite a last minute try from the visitors.

In the final on Saturday, April 24 the Midlothian men will face National Two champions Greenock Wanderers who defeated Dalziel in the other semi-final.

Elsewhere on Saturday North Berwick are just one match from also sealing a Murrayfield spot after they won 31-15 at Mackie Academy in the Regional Bowl quarter-finals.

Dalkeith sealed the East Two title with a 38-3 victory over Gala YM who were deducted 19 league points late last week for fielding an ineligible player.

In National One Livingston won 33-17 away at Edinburgh University, Linlithgow won 32-15 at Murrayfield Wanderers and RHC Cougars defeated Berwick.

Forrester and Trinity Accies both got crucial wins in National Three over Marr and Lenzie respectively.