Published: Tuesday, 4th November, 2008 1:15pm

Fireworks as Ayr are too hot for Currie

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Ayr 41 Currie 5

Wednesday is Bonfire Night at Millbrae. If it produces more

fireworks than Scottish Hydro Electric Premier 1 leaders Ayr did against

Currie, it will be truly spectacular.

The electronic scoreboard at Millbrae, having had a fairly sedate afternoon

recording a 20-5 scoreline into the closing stages, almost blew a fuse as

Ayr blitzed twenty one points in the final seven minutes.

There is a history in the recent matches at Millbrae against Currie and inthe early stages this one certainly looked as though it would live up to its

reputation.

The visitors looked crisp, decisive and pacy, controlling possession and

putting the Ayr defence on their mettle as they probed and a move involving stand off Matthew Scott, center Mike Norton and flanker Mark Cairns almost brought the first score.

The Ayr defence held and what was impressive was that the tackles were not just stopping their opponents but were driving them back by yards, taking much of the sting out of the early Currie attacks.

Then Ayr pounced - A hoisted kick from Frasier Climo was fumbled, Julian Montoro snaffled the loose ball and put Flo Marin scampering away for the opening score. Climo converted but this early setback did little to daunt a young and feisty Currie outfit and after a Dougie Fife break, Jonny Smith had the visitors' first real chance but pulled his penalty wide.

Ayr were now stifling any Currie advances with Jeff Wilson, Paul Burke and

Montoro the stranglers-in-chief and with twenty two minutes on the clock, a crashing Damien Kelly run took Ayr into the Currie danger zone, AJ McFarlane fed Ruaridh Jackson and a superb break made the space for Richard McCallum to finish off for a gem of a try.

Jackson was making his second start for Ayr and the young Glasgow Warrior looked composed and dangerous from full back, his class showing in the lead up to the McCallum try but more was to come before the break. A loose clearance by Fife, a burst by Burke, an interchange of passes with Marin and the wing was over for his second try.

The 17-0 half time scoreline reflected the difference in the sides, that Ayr

were clinical in taking their chances because make no mistake, this was a

useful Currie outfit. No side with old warriors like John Cox and Andy Adam

with Cairns sniping off the flank and talent like Scott and Edinburgh pros

Andy Easson and Andy Turnbull was ever going to be a pushover and when Easson breached the Ayr defence four minutes into the second half to take the score to 17-5, the next strike was going to be crucial.

It came, almost inevitably from the boot of Climo who goaled a forty yard

penalty leaving Currie needing to score three times to take the lead and the only realistic question remaining was could Ayr get the bonus point.

That was in doubt until the seventy third minute when hooker Pat MacArthur blasted off on a forty yard run which deserved a try but was halted a couple of yards short. Ayr piled in and Kelly applied the coup de grace-and the bonus point try. Climo converted then two minutes later the Ayr stand off finished a sweeping move by splitting the Currie defence for try number five and in the final move of a barnstorming finish, Marin left a host of tacklers in his wake as he claimed his hat trick. Climo converted the final two tries to amass a total of sixteen points and the 41-5 scoreline saw the team leave the pitch to a standing ovation.

"They were very powerful, took their chances and were clinical" said Currie

coach Ally Donaldson. "Their kicking from No10(Climo) and 15(Jackson) was

outstanding and put us under a lot of pressure."

"As well as the win, we targetted keeping our points against under one

hundred in ten games and we managed that as well" said delighted Ayr skipper Damien Kelly.

This was a consummate performance by Ayr, defence rock solid and deadly in attack against a side who, despite being still in the bottom half of the

table, will knock over quite a few of their opposition in the coming weeks

if they play the way they did at Millbrae.

Flanker Jeff Wilson was man of the match but yet again it was a complete

team performance, epitomised by the subs who came on and played a

significant part which is hardly surprising really since they are all, apart

from Scott Nimmo, regular starters in the Ayr line up.

So Ayr make it nine wins from ten and open up a twelve point lead at the top over second placed Heriots who have one game in hand. The final match in the first half of the Premier 1 campaign comes at Old Anniesland on Saturday when Ayr face a Hawks side who will be desperate for the points to haul themselves off second bottom spot in the table.

If Ayr come away from a venue which has never been one holding fond memories with a win, they go into the second half of the campaign with the Premier 1 title well and truly in their sights.

Team: R Jackson; A Wilson, R McCallum, J Montoro, F Marin; F Climo, AJ McFarlane; G Reid, P MacArthur, S Fenwick, S Sutherland, D Kelly, J Wilson, P Burke, G Tippett

Subs G Sykes, S Nimmo, A Dunlop, C Forrester, R Holland