RBS Premiership: Champions Ayr in heavy defeat
Published on 1 September 2013

Melrose scored five tries in a stunning second-half showing to defeat reigning RBS Premiership champions Ayr on their own patch yesterday.

The home side led 11-8 at Millbrae at the break but, whatever visiting head coach John Dalziel said to his players at the break, it worked as they secured their second bonus point win in as many weeks, triumphing 33-11.

In the first 40 minutes Ayr's points came from centre Ross Curle's try and two penalties from the boot of scrum-half Peter Jericevich, while Melrose's scores came from a try by new recruit Austin Lockington and a penalty by centre Andrew Skeen.

After the interval, Ayr duo Scott Sutherland and Curle were both yellow-carded and the men from the Borders ran in tries through back-row Peter Eccles, prop Nick Beavon, replacement back Harry Leonard, captain Fraser Thomson and scrum-half Bruce Colvine.

Melrose top the division with 10 points with Edinburgh Accies the only other team with two wins from two.

They too had to come from behind away from home, defeating Aberdeen Grammar having been 14-3 down at the interval at Rubislaw.

In their second one-point win on the spin, Accies came through 18-17 thanks to tries by winger Nyle Godsmark and replacement forward Andrew Findlater, with centre Ruairidh Bonner kicking the rest.

Grammar's tries came from No 8 Tom Preece and stand-off Rob Aloe, with the kicking points shared between Aloe and replacement Mark Ryan as they secured a losing bonus point.

Currie and Stirling County served up a cracker, the visitors coming through 42-28. County's No 8 Jamie Swanson, a summer arrival from Boroughmuir, scored two tries at Malleny Park while there were also tries from winger Rory Hughes, centre Ben Addison and replacement back Matt Lamb. Centre Brian Archibald kicked 14 points and stand-off Stuart Edwards popped over a drop goal.

For Currie, who were without skipper Mark Cairns, tries were scored by winger Callum Kerr (2), back-row Malcolm Peacock and No 8 Karl Main, which got them a losing bonus point. Stand-off Joe Reynolds kicked eight points.

Heriot's and Gala also played out an exciting game at Goldenacre, with the hosts eventually edging out the men from the Borders 28-27.

Glasgow Warrior Kevin Bryce, back at Heriot's in the draft, scored a try for them while their other efforts came from two new recruits. Full-Back Liam Steele and centre Keith Buchan went over, with stand-off Graham Wilson kicking the other 13 points.

Gala picked up two losing bonus points, thanks to four tries from scrum-half George Graham, winger Grant Somerville and replacement forwards Steve Cairns and Lewis Bertram.

Glasgow Hawks defeated Hawick 24-18, with scrum-half Paddy Boyer sealing things late on by notching his second try. Winger Tom Steven and Mike Adamson went over too, meaning they earned a bonus point. Hawick, who had scrum-half Bruce Campbell red carded for a stamp, have now lost two tight matches in the opening two weeks of the campaign.

This article was posted on 1-Sep-2013, 07:47 by Hugh Barrow.