It looked like a different outcome might be on the cards when Panthers scrum-half Chad McGlame scored under the posts to round off a good spell of early possession deep in the Storm half, Iain Allen converting for a 6-0 lead.

The Storm were unfazed by this setback though, and hit back through tries from Craig Williams on the left, and Chris Milligan under the posts, the latter converted by Williams, to lead 10-6 midway through the first half.

The Panthers hit back within minutes to square it up through McGlame's second of the afternoon following some good linkup play between Villimoni Satala and Gary Brennan. Allen's conversion put the visitors back in front.

By the half hour however, the Storm were firmly in control having scored another two tries through debutant Charles "Chucky" Cochrane and Kyle Matheson, Williams converting the latter to bring up the twenty for the home side.

The Storm extended their lead further just before half time when they forced the Panthers to drop out under their own posts, and Blair Jardine's kick return set the platform for Michael Kirk to cross on the left. The try went unconverted, leaving the score at 24-12 at the break.

The second half was a much tighter affair, although the Storm wasted a glorious chance to put themselves on easy street early on.

Jardine intercepted a loose Panthers pass and raced clear, but he lacked support - his teammates perhaps thinking he would make it on his own - and the visitors were able to get bodies back.

As it turned out, the next try did not materialise until a quarter of an hour from the end, and it went to the Panthers when Brennan touched down on the right to crown a long spell of attacking pressure. Crucially, Allen missed the conversion, leaving his team with it all to do at 24-16.

The visitors were only back in it for a matter of minutes though, as Connor Turnbull scored in a similar position at the other end to give the Storm further breathing space. Williams' conversion gave them any extra insurance they needed.

The Panthers continued to press, but by the time Brennan crossed for his second of the afternoon, goaled by Allen, it was too late to rescue the match.

AYRSHIRE STORM -- C Turnbull; S Paton, C Cochrane, B Jardine, C Williams; S Robertson,
K Matheson; J Deviney, J Duncan, W Black, M Kirk, C Milligan, A Maxwell.
Interchanges: R Filander, S Docherty, M Castelli, L Matthews.

GLASGOW PANTHERS -- G Ramsey; J Naughton, I Allen, V Satala, G Brennan; S McCarter,
C McGlame; A Paterson, C Fisher, C MacDonald, C Fairfield, G Butler, N Delgado.
Interchanges: D McNeil, A Afuakwah, S Atwal, I Waterson, S Herron, D Mulliken, K Wyber.

This article was posted on 26-May-2014, 14:19 by Hugh Barrow.