Ayr warm up with shock defeat by Gala

Aug 13 2010 Ayrshire Post (main ed)

A 26-19 win for Gala over Ayr makes for good reading if you are a Netherdale man, rather worrying if you sport the pink and black.

To put Saturday’s result in the borders into context, Ayr were several front line players short, they mixed the team up to try out various combinations and don’t forget, they were less than impressive when they beat Gala in the Scottish Hydro Cup at Millbrae.

To complete that context however, it’s worth noting that Boroughmuir, who struggled in last year pre-season against Kirkcaldy, last week ran up over 70 points at Beveridge Park as did Hawks on their trip to Sunnyside to face Falkirk.

The point was made after Saturday’s game that ‘this will do Ayr more good than a 70 point win’. Perhaps, but how did the coaches feel that having been three tries to one ahead, they lost a game which Gala took an awful lot more seriously than Ayr?

Kenny Murray expressed his disappointment in losing. “We want to win all our games and it was not one we wanted to lose but we know why.

“We were three tries to one up and then the changes upset the flow of the side and we lost continuity.

“We brought in some players from outside the top squad and it was undoubtedly a big step up for these lads and Gala took full advantage.

“For the final pre-season game at home to London Scottish on Saturday, we will have Jono Crossan, Andy Kelly and Gordon Reid back so that will stiffen the pack and should see us getting closer to the side we want to put out.”

Team manager Ronnie McKinnon added: “Overall, the team didn’t gel which wasn’t really surprising given the way we mixed up the different combinations.

“The backs looked sharp when they put things together and Mark Bennett scored a phenomenal try but up front Gala bullied the pack and dominated the breakdown.

“Having said that, David Craig was the best second row on the park and he was up against Opeta Palepoi who has 60 odd caps for Samoa under his belt and Paul Burke was outstanding and very level headed, not only in his own game but in trying to get the team together.”

Yes, Ayr were players short, yes there are key players still to come back to the squad, yes, it is early days but no, I don’t think it is good for the pre-season build up nor for their first two Premier One league games in two and three weeks against border sides to have gone to Netherdale and been beaten by a Premier Two side.

Anyone who shrugs this off as not significant does so at their peril.

This Saturday sees Ayr in front of their own crowd at Millbrae when they host London Scottish in their final pre-season clash before heading for Hawick on August 21.

Scottish are a side on the up as can be seen from their progression from the nether regions of English rugby whence they were condemned after going belly up in the professional debacle of the late 90s and they still harbour ambitions of reaching the top flight of the English game thus becoming what could effectively be Scotland’s third pro side.

All that is in the future and they are currently plying their trade one league below the Championship which was the level Ayr encountered last season in the British and Irish Cup when they played Doncaster, Rotherham and Birmingham.

Scottish will be bringing a big squad to Scotland to face Currie on Friday night and Ayr at Millbrae on Saturday (kick off 3pm).

Simon Amor, their new head coach, said: “We are looking to forge closer links with Scotland for obvious reasons and what better way to prepare for the coming season than by taking on Scotland’s two best Premier One sides.

“Playing the matches on a Friday and Saturday will give us a great opportunity to use all the players in the senior squad and will give the coaches a first look at our new signings.

“We know we will be playing two clubs noted for their hospitality and so we hope hat it will be a chance to catch up with friends and family back in Scotland.

“It is also a rare opportunity for our many members and thousands of supporters and former players in Scotland to see their old club.”

Among the close season signings are former All Black Sam Harding who had spells with Northampton and Ulster before joining Scottish, ex-Wasps and Gloucester scrum half Alex Page, Alex Clarke, ex-Bristol and English Saxons in 2008 and from Exeter former Scotland U21 captain and son of former Scottish flanker Jim, Lewis Calder.

One familiar face in their line-up will be Ayrshireman Ian McInroy, the former Garnock and Glasgow centre, one of the best ever to come out of the county and a player who could, had unfortunate circumstances not intervened, gone all the way.

An interesting line-up and a game which merits a big Millbrae crowd if for no other reason than to give the side a boost before the opening league match at Hawick the following week.