SKIPPER Conor Bickerstaff led from the front, with four of Marr's eight tries in their comprehensive 57-28 defeat of Jed-forest at Riverside Park; a result which put the Troon side third in the Tennent's Premiership after the first round of games, writes Matt Vallance.

 

Colin Sturgeon gave Marr the lead from a penalty, but three scintillating converted tries – from Conor Young, Rob Yourston and Reg Marshall had Jed 21-10 up, before Conor Bickerstaff's first try, converted by Sturgeon, made it 21-10 for the home side at the break.

 

Conor Young's second try put the home side 28-10 ahead, early in the second half; however, a first Marr try for scrum-half Jack Preston, converted by Sturgeon, gave Marr hope.

 

In the last half-hour, the Troon pack destroyed the Jed eight, serving up a stream of possession from which they made hay. Counting the Preston try, Marr scored 47 unanswered points, with Conor Bickerstaff (3), Scott Bickerstaff, Isofere Turago and Sturgeon getting tries, and Sturgeon taking his conversions tally to seven. Winning at Jed, destroying the home pack in the process and in front of his mentor, Jim Telfer, who was there to help inaugurate Jed’s Three NInes Lounge, open in honour of Roy and Greig Laidlaw and Gary Armstrong - one can assume, Marr Coach Craig Redpath was a happy bunny on Saturday night.

 

To complete a great day for Marr, their 2nd XV thrashed Glasgow Accies 68-5 in a West Reserve League Division 1 match, while, in West Reserve League, Division 3, the Marr 3rd XV beat Ardrossan Academicals 2nd XV 31-14.

 

On Saturday, Marr will entertain Musselburgh, at Fullarton. The match will kick-off at 3pm.

AYR are in third spot in National League One following their opening day 48-24 win over Watsonian's, at Millbrae.  The match was the main attraction for Ladies Day at the club, and the 300-plus Bonnie Lassies certainly were well-entertained.

The Milbrae men scored seven tries, full=back Jamie McCorkindale grabbing a hat-trick, with Zac Howard, James Pinkerton, James Armstrong and Man of the Match Jamie Bova, who also kicked five conversions and a penalty in a comprehensive win for the men in pink and black, getting the touch downs.

 

On Saturday, Ayr head for Meggetland, in Edinburgh, to face Boroughmuir, who are the bottom club in the league.

 

AYRSHIRE Bulls' Head Coach Peter Murchie was able to reveal another three members of his squad, which will compete in the new Super-6 competition this season, in the last week.

 

He confirmed that three more of last season's league and cup winning Ayr squad – Marshall Sykes, Euan McLaren and Lars Morrice, have agreed to step up to the Super-6 squad. And the Sykes and Morrice, along with Bulls' team mate Ollie Smith, got some early action at the weekend, when they made their Glasgow Warriors' debut in the side's 50-19 defeat by Ulster, at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.

 

“I am delighted to keep these three players at the Bulls for the new campaign,” said Murchie. “Marshall and Euan are young players who all did well for the national Under-20 team last season, while Lars has been a major player for us since arriving here in November. He is also Scottish-qualified so I am very pleased to have them on-board," he said.

 

Murchie is expected to drip-feed more names of his squad as the month progresses, prior to the signing deadline of September 30.

 

But, the big news from the Bulls this week has been prop Gordon Reid's selection for the 31-man Scotland squad, which flew out to Japan on Monday, ready to prepare for the Rugby World Cup.

 

Gordy played in Scotland's win over Georgia, at BT Murrayfield, last Friday and he is hoping to be in the squad when the RWC, his second, gets under-way with Scotland v Ireland on September 22.

CARRICK

HAVING seen their opening League Cup game against Preston Lodge, called off, because of a water-logged pitch the previous week, there was further disappointment for the Maybole team, whose Tennent's National League 3 season began with a 25-17 defeat at Burnbrae, against West of Scotland.

 

This was an exciting game, lock Scott Cochrane putting West in front, only for ‘Rick scrum-half Conor Turnbull to grab back-to-back tries, the second converted by John Fulton, to put Carrick 12-15 ahead, before a second Cochrane try, converted by SEan Cardin, levelled the scores.

 

Cochrane then completed a first-half hat-trick, Cardin converted and WEst led 19-12 at the interval. Early in the second half, following a yellow card for a spot of dissent from Carrick, Cardin’s penalty took West out to a ten-point lead, 22-12. But, back came Carrick and Russell McCuloch’s unconverted try made it 22-17.

 

However, Cardin had the lat word with another penalty goal, making the final score 25-17 to West

Carrick will be hoping for better fortune, when they entertain Caithness on Saturday, ko 3pm.