Ayr 23 v Glasgow Hawks 20

Four tries and a penalty from the home team against a penalty, two tries
and a goal. Add in a last 15 minutes where both teams were trying
desperately to ensure the result and you may think that there was a classic
on hand.

In truth the game never really came alive, for me, until that last ten
minutes. The first half was too one sided, territorially at least, and,
speaking just for myself, I was disappointed to come away from a game I was
convinced we should have won.

There's no question that Ayr, at Millbrae, are a hard prospect. They have a
tough, athletic team and no shortage of home game motivation. There's no
question that their toughness comes across with a very aggressive style of
play in the forwards and this is the first area where I'd say Hawks were
slow to start.

As I watched Alan Kelly, amongst others, receiving an early facial massage,
I was conscious that there was a, perhaps too gentlemanly, physical
response from the visitors. In fact they allowed themselves to be bullied
during the first half and that sense of being subdued lasted almost until
half time.

It was to the team's credit then that they were only two points behind at
this point. I'll give them this too, if they are playing a pod system it's
finally starting to work more smoothly - though I'll never get used to the
idea of seeing a hooker and a prop out on the wing. Too old fashioned a
super-hero I suppose. So long as the defence is holding up though I'll try
not to complain too much.

Speaking of a hooker on the wing I've seen Donald Malcolm start twice in
Premiership games and the lineout has functioned. I don't say it's down to
him alone but it is nice to see that we get most of our own lineouts now
and also manage to challenge the occasional opposition throw which shows
our forwards are settling. He may not be the biggest hooker I've ever seen
either but he's certainly a busy boy about the pitch.

The second area where I think we fell down on the day was the lack of a
tactical kick.

If we're going to play the mercurial Adamson at 10 then why not Strang at 12
for the backup touchfinder if it all goes wrong? Seems to work for Wales
with Steven Jones and Gavin Henson.

It did look to me during the first half of the game as if we were putting
ourselves under pressure when some long touchfinders might well have taken
some of the steam out of Ayr. I mean it's great to have that dynamic break
from a quick scrum delivery but the slower ball needs a more reliable boot.

So what were the positives?

Well, a good team effort would be the first outcome. I definitely have the
feeling that the team is gelling. Also as mentioned in a previous review,
despite some of the results this season - and there's been some bad luck
mixed up in those results as well as some under-par play - we still have a
positive points difference. It shows that we're not playing a negative
game. That can only be good for the longer term.

It still seems to me that we're just on the edge of regaining the 'dog' that
has eluded us so far this season. Home wins against Melrose and Herriots -
and I really want to see the latter - might well allow the dog to snarl for
the rest of the season.

Back to John Inverdale in the studio for a report on English centres - soft
centres of course.

regards

The Green Phantom



AND FROM THE AYR WEBSITE
AYR FINALLY SHOOT DOWN HAWKS...........

Ayr 23 Glasgow Hawks 20.............

It was a long time coming but was all the sweeter for that.

Ayr finally ended the domination of Glasgow Hawks which had lasted since the Millbrae side were promoted to Premier 1 but when the large crowd stood to show their appreciation at the final whistle, it was in acclimation of both sides who had provided an enthralling match.

The game started at an electrifying pace with Ben Colley almost through in the opening minutes then a Hawks counter attack failed as Mike Adamson lost the ball over the Ayr line. Adamson started where he had finished at Millbrae, having kicked the injury time penalty which beat Ayr last November, the Hawks No 10 slotted a penalty to put Hawks ahead.

Ayr struck back immediately with AJ McFarlane finding the gap to put Pat MacArthur through and the hookers pass saw Damien Kelly plunge over for the first try. Colley missed the kick which was a prelude to a miserable afternoon with the boot but Ayr kept up the pressure and when the ball was worked to Pierluigi Gentile, the former L’Aqulia wing left three tacklers on the end of a pummeling hand off as he burst through Stuart Low’s tackle for a bonny try.

Colley missed again as he did with a penalty after Paul Burke, Ryan Holland and Johnny McClung had come close with only the final pass going to ground then Hawks struck back with a Gavin MacDonald break setting up Sandy Warnock and Greg Fitzpatrick and although they were halted short, Hawks held their nerve and position for the ball to be swept to Stuart Smith to go over in the corner.

Colley made amends for his kicking drought with a try saving tackle on Adamson as the match raged from end to end and the half time whistle was as welcome for the crowd to catch its breath as it was for the players such had been the non-stop action.

Ayr came out 10-8 ahead at half time and immediately stretched their lead with Glen Tippet and Kelly setting up Colin White for the flanker to put Nick Lavelle in for the try but the center was injured in scoring and took no further part, a blow which could have been devastating for Ayr. The heads stayed up however despite Adamson charging down Colley’s kick and with the pack rampaging down the field immediately after, the penalty from Colley which took a lot of guts, took them to an 18-8 lead.

Hawks don’t give up, it is as simple as that and as the final quarter approached an Adamson penalty to the corner was taken at the line out and driven over for Francis to claim the try and four minutes later the spectators could have been forgiven for thinking that someone had pressed the replay button as Hawks did exactly the same again, the only difference being that Warnock this time came up with the try. Adamson converted and with a 20-18 lead and seventeen minutes left, things looked ominous for the home side.

Spurred on by a raucous crowd, the Ayr pack again came up with the goods with captain Scott Lines at the heart of every drive and with seven minutes to go, man of the match Kelly was driven over for the clinching try. Colley’s kick swerved cruelly at the last second to come back off the post and the stage was set for as long a ten minutes as the Ayr faithful have had to endure.

Hawks are renowned for fighting to the death and pulling games out of the fire and they tried everything they knew to get back into the lead and to their credit went for the corner with two kickable penalties, going for the win rather than the draw. The gamble failed for one simple reason-the Ayr defence in the last ten minutes was simply awesome. The pack, with a refreshed Ewen Logan, MacArthur and Burke performing heroics, held surge after surge and crucially when the ball was spread the backs cut down their men with not a tackle missed. Discipline was vital and as Hawks mounted attack after attack, the defence stayed cool, won the turnover and when McFarlane’s kick went into touch to signal the final whistle, the crowd erupted.

“Both sides played some great rugby” said a delighted Ayr coach Craig Redpath. “I was worried that our missed kicks might come back to haunt us but in the end we dug it out and it was a phenomenal effort at the end to get a result which means an awful lot to the club. The guys played their hearts out and we were without Nick Lavelle for half the game which is a big loss but in the end it was a great team effort.”

Hawks coach David Wilson was gracious in defeat. “Even when we went on to win the championship, Millbrae was always a hard place to come to and today Ayr have to be congratulated particularly on their defence at the end which was outstanding.”

Although Ayr stay in fourth spot in the table, Boroughmuir defeat of Watsonians and Heriots win over Currie means that only three points separate the top four so the visit to Heriots on Saturday assumes huge proportions.

Regarding injuries leading up to the visit to the capital, the coach was cautious. “Nick’s shoulder injury is a wait and see and we have the usual bumps and bruises but they never seem so bad when you are winning” he commented with a smile.

“It is going to be tough at Heriots and we always seem to save our worst performances for Goldenacre and it looks like they will be back to full strength but if we play the way we can play and do the right things at the right time we could get a result.”

Positive words and why not-this is an Ayr side which believes in itself and from youngsters like Gordon Reid, Pat MacArthur and Jonno Kee who make up a nineteen year old front row to old campaigners like Glen Tippett and Scott Lines there is a spirit in an Ayr side which could perhaps be on the verge of something special.

Team: Johnny McClung; Pierluigi Gentile, Ben Colley, Nick Lavelle, Ryan Holland; Richard McCallum, AJ McFarlane; Gordon Reid, Pat MacArthur, Ewen Logan, Damien Kelly, Scott Sutherland, Evan Kellow, Paul Burke, Glen Tippett

Subs (all used): Jonno Kee, Scott Lines, Colin White, Scott Sampson

This article was originally posted on 16-Oct-2006, 22:32 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 17-Oct-2006, 08:20.