Ayr 42 - 19 Boroughmuir: Early surge pays off

When Ayr rushed into a 21-0 lead after 15 minutes, it seemed as if the home side were going to extract an awful revenge for their shock loss at Meggetland earlier this season. But Muir woke up and matched their hosts all the way for the remainder of the game, before finally losing out as the Millbrae side joined Melrose on 59 points at the top of the table.

Ayr's Will Bordill crossed for Ayrs first try

Will Bordill, pictured, crossed for Ayr’s first try, after just 98 seconds, with Frazier Climo converting. It was soon clear that Ayr’s pack was on top and in six minutes, man of the match Steven Longwell trundled over after a series of phases, for the second try, Climo again converting.

The third try in 11 minutes was a cracker. Jordan Edmonds guddled a Climo kick, Danny McCluskey made a brilliant one-handed pick-up to feed the supporting Archie Russell, and Climo added the extras.

Ayr might have had a fourth try shortly afterwards, off a close-range line-out, but, Muir bravely stood off and the “score” was disallowed. This seemed to give the visitors confidence and in 22 minutes Edmonds made amends for his earlier slip when he gathered a Chris Laidlaw kick and powered over, for the stand-off to convert.

The Edinburgh outfit then put Ayr through the mill, for no reward and in the final minute of the first-half, the bonus-point try was secured when McCluskey followed up a Ross Curle kick ahead to brilliantly gather at full pace and score. Needless to say, Climo converted and it was 28-7 at the break.

Boroughmuir survived a yellow card for Aubrey Mcube in 44 minutes. Indeed, they had perhaps the better of the ten minutes, and had a “try” disallowed during this period. With Mcube restored, they did cut further into the Ayr lead when Dougie Steele, who had replaced Edinburgh’s Nathan Fowles at half-time, wriggled over and Laidlaw converted.

On the hour, Ayr’s Blair Macpherson saw yellow and, while he was off, Ayr stretched their advantage when Robin McAlpine gathered a close-range line-out and was driven over, Curle converting.

Again, however, the visitors responded well and Edmonds claimed his second try when he tagged on to the back of an advancing maul to touch down for an unconverted try.

Ayr then tightened up, went back on the attack and, in the dying seconds, after a scything run from Curle had taken him to inches from the line, the ball was recycled and Bordill, the man who had started the try-scoring, had the final word with Ayr’s sixth try, again converted by Curle.

This result means Ayr and Melrose are almost certain to fill the top two places in the table at the end of the season.