Dominant Melrose produce show of strength against Ayr

This was billed at the start of the season as a clash of the titans between the two clubs most likely to be battling it out for the Premiership title come April time. It ended up as little more than a routine pit-stop for Melrose in which they consolidated their position at the top of the table by half-time. Meanwhile, last year's champions Ayr were left asking themselves a raft of difficult questions about whether their current squad has what it takes to be serious contenders this time round.

Melrose right-wing Ross McCann, left, celebrates one of his two tries before half-time. Picture: SNS.

The bonus point picked up before the break means that Melrose edged one point clear of Currie Chieftains, who are also undefeated after three rounds of matches but couldn’t manage four tries against Boroughmuir on Saturday, and, while head coach Rob Chrystie was understandably anxious about keeping a lid on soaring expectations, he did suggest that there is more to come from his team.

“There is competition for places throughout the squad and that’s definitely helping drive standards up. The Storm [2nd XV] had a good win this week as well and there are boys coming back from injury, so that’s going to keep the pressure on the players in the team,” he said.

“Our focus is going to be on ourselves and making sure we are as good as we can be – and that’s really as complicated as it gets. We are working really hard Tuesday and Thursday and the boys do a lot of work off the pitch as well – they are really hungry to do well.”

Melrose set the tone in the fourth minute when hooker Russell Anderson grounded the ball over the line at the conclusion of a powerful 
lineout drive. Left-wing Sam Pecqueur nipped over for try number two eight minutes later, and two tries in six minutes just before half-time from right-wing Ross McCann removed any doubt about the destination of the league points.

Ayr managed a try from full-back Grant Anderson just before the change of ends, and they actually won the second half 7-3 thanks to a penalty try awarded when Melrose prop Ruairi McLeod dropped the ball near his own line, but they didn’t at any point look like making real inroads into that first-half deficit. There is no time for the men from the west to feel sorry for themselves because they have just seven days to regroup and prepare for another tough mission against the Chieftains at Malleny Park this coming Saturday.

“It is a long season but that’s two games in a row now, so the big thing for us is that we need to stick together as a group. It is going to be us that fixes it as a coaching team and as a squad of players,” said head coach Calum Forrester.