Frozen out Ayr set for return

Jan 22 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

SO at last it looks as though we might get some rugby this weekend, six weeks after the last game at Millbrae on December 12.

The lay-off will have affected most of the teams in Scottish Hydro Premier One but Stewart’s Melville, Ayr's opponents at Millbrae on Saturday, have the benefit of a game under their belts having played West at Inverleith last Saturday.

Mind you, it is debatable whether that will have done much for the spirits of the side, currently adrift at the bottom of the table, since West came back from being down at half-time to win 44-33.

Stew-Mel did score thee tries, however, and when Ayr made their foray to Inverleith earlier in the season, it was a very stuffy contest. The home side led 13-10 into the second half until a couple of tries from Paul Burke and one from Mark Stewart clinched the points for Ayr.

Stew-Mel full back Hayden Lingard has been on the scoresheet regularly this season and the home defence will have to keep an eye on pacy wing Richard Borthwick while Stewart Ker is a pretty reliable goal kicker.

But given the choice of opening 2010 with a trip to the Greenyards, which would have happened had last Saturday’s match against Melrose not been called off, or this week’s visitors to Millbrae, Stew Mel at home would have had the overwhelming vote.

Just to re-cap as it is so long since many people have had a look at the table, Currie lead with 15 wins from 14 starts, a points differential of 391 and 67 points.

Ayr lie second having played 14, won 13, points differential 202 and 62 points with Melrose in third spot with 58 points from 15 games.

Ayr still have eight games left of their league programme, the regular fixtures against Stew-Melville on Saturday, away to Selkirk on January 30, home to West on February 20 then away to Currie on March 6 although that one will have to be re-scheduled due to the British and Irish Cup.

That makes a total of four outstanding postponed fixtures to be played - against Heriot’s, Hawks, Dundee and Melrose with three away from home and only the Dundee match at Millbrae and the Currie fixture having to be fitted in as well.

It was this congestion which saw Ayr president Billy McHarg make the headlines when he was reported as saying that the Scottish Hydro Premier Cup should be scrapped.

A rather extreme call perhaps and one which annoyed the powers that be and while your correspondent does not entirely agree with the suggested solution to the fixture congestion problem, I have total sympathy with the sentiments and would suggest that an alternative option would be that Ayr ask to be withdrawn from the current cup competition.

The former sanction of being banned from the next season’s cup tournament for non-fulfilment of a tie no longer applies so all Ayr would lose would be the cup prize money but that would presumably be acceptable if dates were freed up for re-scheduled fixtures.

It would also mean that players would be able to focus on the league and the British and Irish Cup. The price of success eh!

Finally, the Millbrae injury jinx strike again, spookily suggesting that even if a player has moved away from Ayr, fate will pursue him. The Ayr players who have suffered serious leg injuries has been well chronicled in this column but all the professional players who were drafted in last season and won a Championship medal have collected injuries - James Eddie for Glasgow last season, Ruaridh Jackson at the beginning of this season for Glasgow then on Friday night, Calum Forrester suffered a dislocated knee cap against Newport Gwent Dragons in the Heineken Cup.

Calum has not had too many starts for Glasgow this season but was having an absolute blinder on Friday before the injury saw him stretchered off. He will be out for a while but we wish him good luck and a very speedy recovery.

MARR resume away to Gordonians while the 2nd XV travel to play West of Scotland.

On Sunday, Marr S2s entertain Glasgow Hawks in a friendly while the P3 to P7s travel to Hillhead.

CARRICK, who have been idle since December 9, return away to Wigtonshire on January 30.