Ayr Rugby Club hunt coach as Redpath quits

Apr 16 2008 Ayrshire Post

AYR are looking for a new coach after Craig Redpath announced he was standing down.

The shock came after a 17-13 home defeat by Heriot’s in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup at Millbrae last Thursday night.

With Julian Montoro the third player to suffer a broken leg, Ayr were desperately short of backs and Ally Little from associate club Whitecraigs was drafted into the midfield with Richard McCallum making up the centre partnership.

It would have been expected that Heriot’s would attack the midfield but in the first half the defence was rock solid and Ayr went into the break 3-0 ahead courtesy of a Kenny Diffenthal penalty.

It took until the final quarter for the visitors to breach the Ayr defence but when Ricky Mill scooted in under the posts, Graham Wilson added to his 50th minute penalty to give Heriot’s a 10-3 lead.

Flanker Struan Dewar was red-carded for stamping and Ayr took advantage of the shorthanded Heriot’s pack to pile on the pressure and Stewart Fenwick was driven over for a try with 14 minutes to go.

The kick was missed but Ayr kept play in the Heriot’s danger zone until a slip pass from skipper A. J. McFarlane ten yards from the line was nabbed by a defending hand, the ball was wellied downfield and from that field position, it was Heriot’s opportunity to turn the screw.

Again Ayr defended as though their lives depended on it but a slick handling move put Heriot’s full back Colin Goudie in under the posts with Wilson's conversion clinching the tie.

Pat MacArthur's try in the fourth minute of injury time no consolation for the Millbrae men.

Heriot’s probably deserved to shade it and credit to them for travelling on a Thursday night and going away with the spoils but the closeness of the scoreline still reflects well on an Ayr side whose skill at patching up the squad throughout the season was stretched just a bit too far.

The opportunity of a home semi-final against Jed, though by no means a foregone conclusion, was Ayr's best ever chance of reaching the final at Murrayfield and the sense of disappointment around Millbrae was palpable.

Nevertheless, no one of a pink and black persuasion denied that Heriot’s were worthy of their win and most admitted that Ayr had, on the night, simply not be good enough.

No one expected the announcement from the coach on Friday morning that he was stepping down but his decision was made and Redpath is not a man to change his mind.

President Billy McHarg said: “Craig has done a terrific job, taken us to our best ever finishes in Premier One and leaves a team which has great potential.

"We are now actively looking for a new head coach for what must be one of the most attractive jobs in Scottish club rugby."

Former Scotland ’B’ international Redpath had been at the helm at Millbrae for five years, helped the club to second place in Premier One last season and to a top six finish this term despite a horrendous run of injuries to key players.

Redpath said: "It is time for a fresh face. Ayr are a great club and whoever takes over will have a first-class squad and excellent back-up from inside the club."

Director of rugby Jock Craig added: "Craig brought a professionalism and commitment and he took the club in a direction which gave us real success over the past two seasons."

So, after a scratch side went out of the 125th Melrose sevens on Saturday in the first round by 33-0 to Boroughmuir, the league programme of a roller coaster of a season will come to an end with the final match against Currie at Malleny Park on Saturday.

With only the Melrose sevens and the final league match remaining, it is sad that Redpath’s decision to part company didn't wait until the season ended.

It would have prevented the headline in a national newspaper on Saturday: "Redpath resigns in wake of Cup defeat to Heriot’s."

Not the way the coach who has taken Ayr to heights they have never before achieved would want to be or deserves to be remembered.

CARRICK’S final match in West League Division 3 Pool 3 will be on May 10 when they travel to Isle of Arran.

Mid Argyll, who were to be Carrick’s opponents in re-scheduled matches, have been removed from the league.