Ayr Rugby Club are only two wins from the title

Apr 8 2011 Ayrshire Post (main ed)

TWO down, four (?) to go.

In a weekend of high scores and low controversy, Ayr dug out a win at Goldenacre which keeps alive their dream of the double but not until after they had given their fans a real scare that the league campaign could end in the capital (writes RON EVANS).

The fact that they came away with a bonus point yet again emphasised what many of the coaches who have faced Ayr, Melrose and Currie have reckoned – that the experience gained in the British and Irish Cup has given the three sides involved a hard edge lacking in their opponents.

Coach Kenny Murray admitted: "Our first half performance wasn't great because I think we tried to play too much rugby instead of moving forward in the game."

That was apparent as the home side went into the break 15-12 ahead and Ayr's title prospects hung in the balance. Graham Wilson's penalty opened the scoring for Heriot’s but Mark Stewart's try settled Ayr only for wing Glenn Bryce to scoot over for Wilson to convert and pull Heriot’s back into the lead.

Paul Burke touched down on the half hour mark, Ross Curle converted but still Ayr were far from in control and when Bryce went over for his second try almost on the half time whistle, the alarm bells were ringing.

"The players got a real talking to at half time and it seemed to work," said the coach and that was apparentalmost from the kick off.

Damien Kelly bashed his way over for Ayr's third try, Curle converted and when Kelly again showed scant regard for the tacklers to grab his second and the bonus clinching try, it was Heriot’s turn to look shaky.

Ayr took full advantage, turned the screw with a huge spell of pressure which was rewarded with a Gordon Sykes try with 12 minutes left. Bryce scampered over for his hat-trick but the last fling was Ayr's, Burke slicing through for his second try to not only give the score a respectable look but also boost the differential which might in the end prove vital.

Murray claimed: "Our second half performance was much better and we played on front foot ball which made all the difference but we need to do that for 80 minutes, not 40.

"It is simple now in league terms, we have to win against Melrose and Currie in our two remaining league matches although we could end up with back to back games against Melrose which would be interesting."

The coach was of course referring to the fact that if Ayr win at Meggetland against Boroughmuir in Saturday’s Premier Cup semi-final, a game which will have its own edge after 'Muir unsuccessfully cited Mark Stewart after their last meeting, they would met Melrose in the cup final on April 15 at Murrayfield.

Then they travel to the Greenyards the following week to face Craig Chalmers’ troops in a match which be crucial in determining where the title ends up.

Boroughmuir ended up at the wrong end of a 43-15 scoreline against Currie at Meggetland and Melrose kept top spot with a thumping 69-11 win over Dundee at the Greenyards but the match involving the fourth side in the title race found itself idle.

Hawks were due to face Hawick at Old Anniesland but the visitors pulled out of the game on Friday morning, giving as a reason lack of front row cover.

That has led to an almighty row since it skews the top of the table and the title run in. On going to press, the SRU championship committee had still to reach a decision as to what sort of sanctions to take against Hawick but amid rumour and counter rumour one thing is certain, the Mansfield Park men will be hit hard and given the circumstances, rightly so.

It would appear they were offered players to fill the front row positions in order to let the game go ahead but decided to pull out instead, meaning, under the championship rules, that Hawks are awarded a 28-0 win and a bonus point thus keeping them in the race.

There are those who find this totally unacceptable since there is no way of confidently predicting how the match would have turned out while from Hawks standpoint, they can realistically claim that against the bottom side in Premier ‘A’, they could have amassed more than 28 points thus improving their differential.

Very, very messy and in the words of one observer 'Hawick have demeaned the competition. They should be hammered for this if they cannot come up with an adequate explanation.'

All that aside, it still comes down to the fact that if Ayr win their two remaining league matches against Melrose and Currie regardless of what goes on elsewhere, the Premier title will be back at Millbrae.