Now for Doncaster after Ayr Rugby Club edge out Hawick

Feb 25 2011 Ayrshire Post (main ed)

IF you are old enough you will remember, if not take my word for it, but 40 years ago last week saw the introduction of decimalisation.

That memory led to the thought that seven and six was about 37 pence in new money and that was more, in the opinion of one spectator on Saturday, than the spectacle at Mansfield Park was worth even though Ayr did win7-6 (writes RON EVANS).

That is the second one point win in seven days and A & E at Borders Regional Hospital was on red alert for a string of nerve wracked pink and black followers in need of treatment but it didn't quite come to that.

That doesn't mean to say that Ayr seemed to be doing everything they could to throw away the win and in so doing, give themselves a mountain to climb in the race for the title.

Put it this way, if they were Pakistani cricketers, there would be an immediate investigation to see if they had put money on a Greens win.

How else to you explain the fact that several kickable penalties were spurned in an attempt to get the bonus point try? Well, simply explained I suppose.

After going behind to two Rory Hutton penalties, Ayr decided to go for the corner from a penalty well within Ross Curle's range, they drove sumptuously on the line-out take, spread the ball wide and Cammy Taylor when in under the posts for a try straight form the training paddock.

Having done it once, Ayr assumed that was the way to go and get the tries on the board rather than points and by not punishing the Hawick indiscretions and racking up the penalties, they let the home side off the hook.

“If Ayr had kicked their penalties in the first half, they would have demoralised Hawick and the tries would have come after half time. As it was, Hawick hung in and in the end, they were very unlucky to lose”, declared of one of the border correspondents in the press box.

This was an opinion backed up by Ayr Director of Rugby Jock Craig. He said: "We were lucky we didn't throw that away and if we had, then I reckon we could kiss goodbye our participation in the British and Irish Cup next season because it is so tight at the top we could find ourselves out of the top three if we don't get a real grip on how we are playing.

“It is hard to understand why we didn't pile up the points when we were on top in the forwards in particular because with the margin at a single point, Hawick were always going to give us a hard time and they battled like mad.

“The crowd sensed it too and that raised the Hawick boys game and it was only a couple of try saving efforts by our backs which kept us in the game. We have to get our game up several notches for the Doncaster game or we will be in trouble."

In the second half it took a great save by Taylor who got under the ball to prevent a try. Then a 50 metres burst by prop Bruce McNeill as he batted off a couple of Ayr tacklers was only stopped by a Curle tackle inches from the line and it was the home side who finished the stronger and more aggrieved that they hadn't taken more than a losing bonus from the game.

Melrose didn't manage a win bonus either from their 32-20 defeat of Boroughmuir but Hawks and Currie both collected the extra point in beating Heriot’s and Dundee respectively so the top of the table is unchanged.

Melrose are top with 61 points, Hawks second with 60, Ayr third with 58 and Currie fourth on 55. All have three matches to play and in that Hawks and Ayr both face Melrose and Currie so it comes down almost to a play-off situation. Ayr's trip to the Greenyards then Currie at Millbrae are now crucial in the title run-in.

Before all that, another head to head takes place at Millbrae on Saturday when Doncaster travel to face in Ayr in the decider in the British and Irish Cup Pool D. Some consider it the most significant match at Millbrae since Ayr won the title.

Pontypridd have already qualified for the quarter-finals, Ayr and Doncaster are on 10 points from four games so it is down to this one to see who goes into the last eight with the Welsh side.

Doncaster thumped Rotherham last Tuesday to pull level with Ayr but come off a 16-13 defeat at home to Cornish Pirates in the Championship on Saturday.

Significantly, coach Lynn Howells had no selection difficulties since he had 22 fit players to put out a 22 man squad so he will be hoping to have some of his wounded back in harness.

Doncaster go into the English Championship play-offs in sixth spot, one place above Rotherham who were held to a draw when Ayr travelled there a few weeks ago.

Ayr have won their last two matches by one point and that will be enough against the Yorkshiremen but there will be a lot of fingernails bitten as Kenny Murray's troops attempt to give Scottish rugby a place in the last eight of the cross border competition.

It would be a massive achievement if they do it and it would be some good news for the game north of the border after the gloom cast over the scene by last week’s international and the performances of the two pro sides at the weekend.

The match kicks off at 3pm and Ayr are looking for and deserve a massive support as they embark on the first of a series of matches in the British and Irish Cup, the Premier Cup and the Premier Championship which will define their season.