Ayr 12 - 14 Currie: Missed kicks prove costly for home side

In the end, it came down to two missed goal kicks by Scott Lyle for the home side, but, the truth is, Currie were a long way more than two points ahead of their hosts in winning this match. Only in the set scrums were Ayr the better side and, but for a some dropped balls, the visitors might well have been out of sight by the break.

Currie's Robbie Nelson. Picture: Graham Stuart/SNS/SRU

They spent some 30 of the opening 40 minutes in Ayr territory, and, for 15 of those they were facing 14 men, even, for a spell taking on 13, as Ayr’s indiscipline cost them, with Grant Anderson and man of the match Steven Longwell the Ayr men to see yellow.

In that time, Currie went from 0-7 down, trailing to George Stokes’ 10th minute try off a driven maul, converted by Lyle, to 14-7 ahead, as Charlie Sheil and Robbie Nelson scored tries, both converted by Jamie Forbes.

The Nelson try came right on the break, at a time when the sides were both at full strength, but, such was Currie’s dominance at that time, and brilliant though Ayr’s scramble defence was, the visitors really ought to have scored at least two more tries.

Ayr’s indiscipline continued to haunt them after the break, as they got into threatening positions, but either turned the ball over, or gave away a silly penalty. However, in 58 minutes, they reprised their try-scoring maul move, hooker Robbie Smith scoring and this unconverted try made it a two-point game.

A superb break by Grant Anderson might have put Ayr in front, but, his off-load, right under the Currie posts, was snaffled by Matt Hooks and Currie survived. The visitors had another let-off in 73 minutes, when Lyle failed with a penalty from 35-metres, then, after Longwell and Ryan Grant had got the stand patrons on their feet with a couple of great breenges, Currie snaffled possession to finish the game on the attack.

They had a chance, right at the death, to increase their lead but Forbes missed a penalty he would normally put over with his eyes shut. However, it could not deny the visitors a thoroughly-deserved victory.