Ayr Rugby Club beat Birmingham to stay on the cup trail

Jan 21 2011 Ayrshire Post (main ed)

THE 1812 Overture never sounded as sweet.

That was the scoreline at Damson Park, Solihull, as trailblazers Ayr created yet another piece of history in the British and Irish Cup.

Last season they were the only Scottish side to win in the competition and they flew the flag proudly again on Sunday when they became the first Scots side to win a tie outside Scotland.

The 18-12 win against Birmingham Solihull Bees at Damson Field was a brilliant result for Kenny Murray's troops and was all the more remarkable in that they came from behind to take the points.

After 25 minutes, the home side led 12-3 with Danny Wright going over after five minutes then centre Rob Connolly pinching a try after a quick tap penalty had caught Ayr napping. It was converted with all Ayr having to show a Grant Anderson penalty.

The visitors’ heads could have easily gone down at that point. Instead, they upped their game and when Cammy Taylor intercepted on his own 22 and blitzed 80 yards for the try, Ayr were back in business.

International No8 John Beattie, drafted to Ayr for two B and I cup matches, combined with AJ McFarlane around the scrum base and the home defence conceded the penalty for Anderson's successful kick to take Ayr into the second half only one point adrift at 12-11.

After the break with the conditions now in their favour, Ayr started to dominate and a burst by Beattie, carried on by skipper Damien Kelly took them deep into Birmingham territory and Kelly's offload put 17-year-old centre Robbie Fergusson away.

The youngster still had a lot to do but he kept his cool and scampered in for a superb try and with Anderson's conversion, Ayr were ahead for the first time. Richard McCallum was in the No10 jersey for the first time this season and his towering kicks caused havoc among the home back three. Although Ayr were unable to add to their total, they came away with a win which puts their B and I campaign back on track.

Coach Murray was rightly proud of his side who had, let's not kid ourselves, struck a real blow for Scottish club rugby.

He said: "Considering that we have had one game in eight weeks, and that was down in Wales, it was a great performance.

"We were slow into the game and their first try was a well worked effort but it was disappointing the way we switched off to let them in for the second score and I was a bit worried at that point because their pack was looking pretty useful.

“Cammy's intercept try got us back in the game and we started to get some decent ball so when Grant kicked the penalty and we turned round only one point adrift, we knew we could do it.

"We had the wind and rain behind us and Richard McCallum's kicking with Mark Stewart on the follow up caused them lots of problems and the try was a beauty with John Beattie making the break, Skippy taking it on then a great offload to Robbie Fergusson who kept his cool for the try with Grant's conversion giving us that little cushion.

“We were in control from there on and forced them to run from inside their own half and our defence when they tried to get back into the game was outstanding.

"Everyone played a major part in the win but the back row were immense with neither Robbie Calhoun nor Andy Dunlop overshadowed by the more illustrious member of the back row."

Murray added: "Now we need to capitalise on that win. Birmingham beat Doncaster last week in a match which counts in the B & I so if we can get a result at Rotherham at the weekend, then with two home games to come against Llandovery and Doncaster, we are in with a chance of making the quarter finals.

"The bad news is that, after coming in for his first start at No10 this season and having a terrific game, Richard McCallum will be out for six weeks with a broken bone in his foot.

“It is very hard to take for the player and now when you look at who we have lost since the start of the season in Jamie Hunter because of work, Frazier Climo who only had a few appearances before he returned to New Zealand, Scott Forrest whose injuries have forced his retirement, Mark Bennett who is with the Scotland U20 squad, Andy Wilson who is recovering from illness and Murray Beckwith who is out for 12 weeks with a hip injury, then we have lost almost a whole back division which could get into most Premier One sides.

"The plus side is that Mark Stewart is back after a long lay-off and Robbie Fergusson is playing a really mature game for such a young player and in February Scott Sutherland will be back from Australia where he has been playing regularly, hopefully in time for the Llandovery game which will be at Millbrae on February 12 at noon."

Ayr Director of Rugby Jock Craig added: "After getting the feel of the game in the first half, the whole side was outstanding after half time.

“Everyone played a massive part and it is great credit to the side that after such a long lay-off that they could maintain that sort of performance for 80 plus minutes. Robbie Colhoun was simply outstanding.

“His work rate, the huge hits and the carries were real class and he made a big impression on Graham Steadman, one of the Scotland international coaching squad who was at the game to keep an eye on Beattie's progress after his recent injury."

So it is off to Rotherham this weekend and Ayr will have taken a huge confidence boost from that historic win in Birmingham.

Pontypridd beat Rotherham 21-12 last weekend and in the third match in Pool D Doncaster beat Llandovery 27-6 in Wales so the table looks like this:

Pontypridd top with 13 points from three games, Birmingham six from two Doncaster five from two, Llandovery four from three, Ayr four from two and Rotherham 0 from two.

If Ayr go to Rotherham and make it two on the bounce on the road, with two home games to come and a huge Millbrae crowd behind them, a place in the quarter-finals is a real possibility.

Team at Birmingham: Grant Anderson; Dougie Steele, Robbie Fergusson, Mark Stewart, Cammy Taylor; Richard McCallum, AJ McFarlane; Gordon Reid, Stuart Fenwick, Andy Kelly, Damien Kelly, Dean Stewart, Andy Dunlop, Robbie Calhoun, John Beattie. Subs: Gordon Sykes, Stephen Adair, Scott Nimmo, Peter Mccallum, Ross Samson, Steven Manning, Paul Burke, Gibson Siwo.