Callum Kerr @ Millbrae
Ayr RFC defended Millbrae in heroic fashion this afternoon, downing old foes Melrose 35-31 in front of a rocking Millbrae. It’s the club’s annual ladies day and the electricity shooting round the marquee was soon replicated on the pitch, with both sides going hell for leather to provide a thrilling encounter.
It’s an old folk’s tale around Millbrae that the sun always shines on Ladies Day, and the conditions at kick-off were immaculate.
Ayr wasted no time in getting themselves in front. After four minutes Ruairidh Anderson worked his way through for an opening score, closely followed by a Jamie Bova conversion.
For as quick as the Ayr score, Melrose answered back even quicker. A failure to secure the kick off gifted the visitors field position and Bruce Colvine made them pay. The conversion squared it all up after seven minutes.
After a slower pace ensued both sides exchanged penalties to keep the score level.
As the game marched the half hour point Melrose pulled into the lead for the first time. A line break was brought down magically from a last-gasp Harry Lynch tackle, but the damage was already done. A glaring overlap for Melrose made it all too easy, and Struan Huchinson strode free unchallenged.
Ayr heads didn’t drop and soon after they earned a penalty and chance to narrow the gap by three. Bova made no mistake.
Three minutes before the break Melrose were dealt a blow when their openside flanker made contact to the head during an attempted clear-out. The punishment was a red card which would see the visitors down a man for the rest of proceedings.
The final act of the half came from Harry Lynch. The winger received the ball out wide shortly after the card and did well to power through contact and dive over.
Half-time: Ayr 1XV 18-17 Melrose 1XV
Melrose struck first after the break, but a quick penalty for Ayr shortly after trimmed their lead to three.
A yellow for Melrose didn’t discourage them, and soon they were in again. An interception sparked a stampeding counter ending with Struan Hutchinson diving clear. His conversion made it a ten-point game with less than twenty left on the clock.
Melrose were cruising but once again indiscipline plagued them. As their yellow card returned another meant they would end the game on 13 men.
Ayr now had momentum and a try for Stuart Collier was quickly followed by a decisive blow for Harry Lynch. The later score put Ayr into the lead with just minutes left to defend.
Full-time: Ayr RFC 35-31 Melrose RFC.
For a brace of tries, including the dagger, Harry Lynch was named Player of the Match.