BULLS BOUNCE BACK TO FORM
The Ayrshire Bulls bounced back from their opening round Super6 defeat to muscle past Boroughmuir Bears 32- 27.
The Bulls were cruising with the game reaching its conclusion, but a belligerent Bears team grabbed two at the death to flatter the scoreline.
The Bulls were kitted out in an unfamiliar Amber, unveiling their new charity jersey in partnership with Whiteleys Retreat.
Despite not putting the visitors to bed late in the contest, coach Peter Murchie is happy with the final outcome.
He said: “When you have worked hard for a 70 minute period, to concede to late tries is disappointing.
“But the main focus of the performance is that we are pleased because we can’t beat guys with a stick all the time.”
The head coach was also delighted with how the new faces to Millbrae took their opportunities.
“They ( the newcomers) looked dangerous and we managed to get in behind a few times,” he said.
“The guys who came in did a good job and the experience the pro- players in the backline brought helped us.”
It was a dream start for the Bulls, with Warriors duo
McDowall and Hughes linking up to draw first blood.
McDowall put a dink through the line into the dead ball area for Hughes to dive clear.
Frazier Climo, kited out in his beloved Taranaki colours, slotted the conversion.
The Bears retaliated in kind, with a quick try and penalty snatching control of the game after 13 minutes.
Sam Kitchen got the next score, latching onto the back of a devastating rolling maul which marched up the field from the 22.
The score was followed by another, with winger Tom Lewis diving clear moments later.
Lewis was a busy man in the first half, popping up in the backline to provide constant goforward for the Bulls.
The Bears opened up the second half with a penalty to scrape back the deficit.
After an hour played Ollie Smith hit a beautiful inside line to weave past the defence.
He fed the supporting McDowall, who in turn fed Hughes to bag his second.
The result looked confirmed when Climo stretched the lead on 68 minutes, with a routine penalty in front of the posts to make it 27- 13.
With seven minutes left to play Graham Geldenhuys put the icing on the cake, with a score out wide to make it 32- 13.
With the result put to bed the Bulls took their foot off the gas, allowing the Bears to run in two late tries and steal a losing- bonus point.
• There were different fortunes for the club XV, who were beaten 43- 33 by Borders side Kelso.
A high scoring affair, the game tied at 21 points a- piece at the break before Kelso edged clear.
Ayr will look to retaliate this weekend when they travel to Edinburgh to face Heriots Blues at Goldenacre.