Ayr v Melrose - 6/12/25

Ayr v Melrose – 6/12/25

This Round 12 Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership match was played on a heavy wet pitch at Millbrae. Honours were even for the first 20 minutes before Scott Clark put Melrose in the lead with a penalty for Ayr holding on to the ball on the ground. Three minutes later Fergus Johnston nipped in round the side of a ruck for an unconverted try in the left corner. Jamie Shedden retrieved the ball from the kick off crashing 80m up the pitch through the Melrose defence before chipping ahead. The bouncing ball bamboozled Morgan Gabe then Corey Goldsbrough played the ball from an off-side position. Johnston took a tap penalty quickly and scored with Scott Watson converting. Ten minutes later Lewis McNamara touched down a loose ball over the Melrose line for a try converted by Watson.

Half time – Ayr 19 Melrose 3

With four minutes of the second half played Melrose won a scrum 5 with Jake Dalziel side-stepping the Ayr defence to score and convert. Three minutes later Alex McGuire completed a penalty lineout rolling maul with a try converted by Watson. At the start of the final quarter Melrose conceded a series of penalties with, eventually, Blair Macpherson breenged off a rolling maul passing to McNamara whose second try was converted by Watson. Five minutes later Finn Douglas collected the ball o the left wing on his own 22 before running diagonally right past several Ayr defenders to score an impressive solo, but unconverted, try in the right corner. With another five minutes played Watson, having retrieved a loose ball, made a bee-line for the whitewash for an unconverted try. With no-side imminent McGuire found a gap through which he burst for his second, but unconverted, try.

Ayr 43 Melrose 15

Ayr – Scott Watson, Jack Craig, Jamie Shedden, Andy Stirrat, Adam McGowan, Bobby Beattie, Fergus Johnston, Caleb Rae, Rhodri Tanner, Michael Scott, Ed Bloodworth, Lewis McNamara, Ryan Sweeney, Tim Brown, Blair Macpherson. Replacements – Jamie Drummond, Alex McGuire, Calvin Henderson, Euan Doak, Seth Rae, Harry Lynch, David McCartney.

Melrose – Morgan Gabe, Corey Goldsbrough, Donald Crawford, Roly Brett, Declan Mulcahy, Jake Dalziel, Scott Clark, Jack Dobie, Ben McLean, Adam Arkley, Angus Runciman©, Angus Weir, Will Ferrie, Sam Derrick, Ru. Campbell. Replacements – Sam Rainey, Zen Szwagrzak, Elliot Ruthven, Henno Bowe, Doug Crawford, Paddy Anderson, Finn Douglas.

Referee – Ciaran Stark