Tennent's National League One

MARR RUGBY 33

ABERDEEN GRAMMAR 7

MARR Rugby's 1st XV lightning start shocked Aberdeen as they rattled in four tries in the opening half hour to open up a match winning lead. Grammar though weren’t ready to give up.

However all their possession netted only a single converted try as Marr’s defence was seriously tested and stood up well to the challenge. In the final quarter Marr managed to get back onto the front foot and added a fifth try to seal they day

Marr opened the scoring after five minutes. Ross Miller was unstoppable as he made a pick and go from a breakdown and crashed through from five metres. For the following quarter hour Marr dominated possession and territory as they tried to break Grammar’s dogged defence. Between the 20 and 30-minute mark Marr added three further tries in rapid succession. Winning a scrum in the corner near to Grammar’s try line Findlay Hazel went down the blind side. With Scott Bickertsaff in close support, Hazel feinted the pass and stepped inside the cover defence to score.

Two minutes later Scott Bickerstaff added a further score after beating the final defender on the outside and race home from 40 metres. Just before the half hour Liam McLoughlin scored the important bonus-point try. Marr’s attack had been led by Ross Miller and Conor Bickerstaff who took play deep into Grammar territory. Once again quick recycling was effective in allowing Colin Sturgeon to breach the 22 metre area and as he was tackled he offloaded the ball. Marr were fortunate when the ball struck the back of a retreating Grammar player and bounced into McLoughlin’s hands and he scored from 20 metres.

Grammar scored a try.

As we entered the final quarter Marr were rewarded with a final score as William Farquhar crossed the line. Marr’s win helped maintain their lead at the top.

Tennent’s West Reserve League 1: Marr Rugby 17 – West of Scotland RFC 2s 45 (but will be a 28-0 win for Marr as West started match with no front row)

Tennent's Premership

HAWICK 12

AYR 36

A SUCCESSFUL afternoon in the borders for Peter Murchie’s men resulted in an emphatic 12-36 victory over Hawick at Mansfield Park. A dominant performance up front set the tone and complete control at the set-piece kept George Graham’s men constantly back-peddling

The win puts Ayr one step closer to a home semi-final draw and on the cusp of finishing the regular season as league front-runners

It didn’t take long for the visitors to assert control. A Hawick scrum just minutes into the fixture gave a preview of what was to come. Shoved off their own ball, the tandem of Steven Longwell and Ruairidh Sayce shunted Hawick’s props five feet back to signal the penalty. A kick to the corner was followed by a playbook rolling maul and it was all too easy for Pat MacArthur to latch on and dive over

Although pack power ultimately sealed Hawick’s fate, a free-flowing back line was enjoying plentiful ball time and punishing slack defence from the home side. Ayr were nearly in again with Paddy Dewhirst prancing around his opposite man before freeing up Rory Hughes in space on his outside. The Scotland International looked set on doubling the lead but terrific scrambling defence halted him.

The departure of Pat MacArthur through injury didn’t change proceedings and Alex McGuire seamlessly slotted into a formidable front row. On half-time Ayr turned pressure into points when a lovely inside ball released Paddy Dewhirst through the line like a hound out the traps. The move bewildered the home defence and with nobody anticipating the line break Dewhirst cantered home and dry with no covering defender in sight. Climo split the uprights.

The second half continued like the first and within five minutes Ayr added to their lead as McGuire scored from a line-out catch and drive. Climo converted.

Dewhirst secured the bonus point with a scintillating solo effort and Climo added the extras.

McCallum breach the defences with a powerful run once again through the midfield. Palming off the tacklers as they came, the skipper marched 35 metres towards the line before being pulled down just short. Quick recycle-ball from substitute Amir Rademaker fed McGuire who was able to power over and grab his second.

With Ayr down a man following a yellow card, Hawick got on the score board. After multiple phases sucking in Ayr jerseys fly-half Lee Armstrong whipped the ball wide to find open-man Kirk Ford, who darted in unchallenged. The conversion skewed wide.

Hawick grabbed another score courtesy of Nicky Little and Armstrong converted.

Gordon Kotze’s 2XV also enjoyed a successful day out at Mansfield with a 29-9 victory over their counterparts. Ben Paterson was named Man-of-the-Match.