BT Premiership

BOROUGHMUIR 28

AYR 30

by Elena Hogarth

A LAST-minute drop goal by fly-half Frazier Climo claimed an opening win in the BT Premiership for Ayr as they beat Boroughmuir 30-28 at Meggetland.

The hosts were up for a tussle on Saturday in west Edinburgh, their ebullient coach Peter Wright bellowing from the sidelines as soon as the whistle had signalled the start of a pulsating 80 minutes, and the large crowd followed suit, roaring on their players throughout.

And that support and encouragement really seemed to buoy Boroughmuir as they flew into a 14-0 lead through tries by centre Mark Hare and scrum-half Jonny Adams, both of which were converted by fly-half Chris Laidlaw.

Even with whirlwind flanker Aubrey McCabe in the sin bin for a professional foul, the home team had more get-up-and-go than the visitors.

Ayr’s scrum – led by youthful props Robbie Smith and Adam Prentice and Glasgow Warriors and Scotland hooker Pat MacArthur – held firm in the opening exchanges, but it began to creak as Boroughmuir turned the screw.

Enter stage left Ryan Grant.

The Scotland and British and Irish Lions prop has found himself a free agent at the age of 32, and a phone call from old friend MacArthur has brought him to Ayr for the next month as cover for props George Hunter and Steven Longwell, who are absent through work and travel commitments.

As soon as Grant was on the pitch, he out-roared Wright, explaining in no uncertain terms exactly what his team-mates should be doing. Along with captain Pete McCallum, back row Blair Macpherson and Climo, he pulled Ayr up by their boot straps and they began their fightback.

30-year-old Climo was at the heart of everything, scoring Ayr’s first try just before half-time and converting it. He and half-back partner David Armstrong then pulled the strings in the second half, with Macpherson using that perfect low body position to bash defenders out of the way and power over for a try.

Boroughmuir replied all too easily, replacement hooker Cal Davies diving over under the posts. Moments later, Climo intercepted in his own half and sprinted for the line, tiring himself out so much that winger Scott Lyle took over kicking duties but not managing the wide conversion.

A steady scrum from Ayr saw McCallum break from the back and pass to Armstrong, with the scurrying scrum-half finding a gap to get the try. Lyle converted this time.

Back came Boroughmuir, with Hare getting his second. Laidlaw added the extras, not having missed a kick all day.

Only four points in the lead, the hosts took their eye off the prize, giving away a penalty near the posts which Lyle kicked. They squandered other attacking chances, but so did Ayr.

The final act of the game was as exciting as any you will see in this league.

Ayr had a line-out just beyond Boroughmuir’s five-metre line but although the throw was secured, the ball was knocked-on when the jumpers were back on the ground. Ayr fans were resigned to a defeat, but the players weren’t.

The men from Millbrae gave an almighty shove to the Boroughmuir scrum, but the hosts still got the ball back for a clearance kick, a kick that, unfortunately for them, was caught by Armstrong.

He was soon prone on the pitch with a hand injury, and with play still carrying on, no replacement joined the fray.

Winger Craig Gossman went to scrum-half and he fired the ball back to Climo, who almost casually struck the ball with the Boroughmuir defenders flying at him to cries of “Get his foot!” from the sidelines. They weren’t quick enough to get his foot, and the ball sailed over the crossbar to bring the match to an end and get Ayr the win.

Head coach Calum Forrester was understandably exhausted at the end of such a tense opener but pleased with his team’s resolve and said afterwards: "The players showed good character to grind that out. But we’ll be taking it up a few levels over the next weeks. We gave away too many cheap opportunities.”

Ayr’s first home game of the BT Premiership is this Saturday against Glasgow Hawks, kicking off at 3pm on Ladies’ Day at Millbrae.

Ayr Ladies – the team, not supporters – had a tough night last Friday in their opening fixture in the BT Premier League. Despite a brace of tries from second row Joanne Jones, one from number eight Rachael Mulholland and two conversions by fly-half Catherine Shennan, they were overpowered by Stewartry Sirens, who won 43-19. The ladies welcome Cartha QP to Millbrae this Friday evening.