The Scotsman

Melrose the merciless

● Four-try Mccann inspires Borderers to big win over potential title challenger­s

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0 Ross Mccann celebrates the first of his four tries on Saturday with Nyle Godsmark and Jason Baggott. Marr’s trip to face Boroughmui­r was topped and tailed by misery, although they returned from their trip to Edinburgh with two bonus points to ease the pain of defeat, writes Colin Renton.

A parking ticket for the team bus was an inauspicio­us start to the Meggetland experience, and they rounded off the outing with a rare lapse by Colin Sturgeon who missed with a late conversion attempt.

Coach Craig Redpath noted that the result means his mennowgoin­toarunof three massive games on the back of a defeat. However, he praised the perseveran­ce of his men, saying: “We dug deep and kept playing. That’s us – we don’t know when to give in. I can only be proud of their efforts.”

Marr’s Greig Jackson opened the scoring with a try, converted by Sturgeon, who also landed a penalty as the visitors reached the break 22-10 in arrears after Johnny Matthew, Ronan

AYR STIRLING COUNTY 46 33

Their sheer resilience here demonstrat­ed, reports of Ayr’s demise as title contenders are premature, as they came from behind to beat County by seven tries to five in an absolute corker of a game, writes Matt Vallance.

The champions finished with two hookers in the front row, centre Stafford Mcdowall in his Dad’s old lock berth, and Grant Anderson at No 8, but they were still going forward. “It was a tribute to the guys – they were adaptable and still get a result,” said coach Calum Forrester.

County made Ayr dig deep and left player-coach Pete Jericevich “frustrated” by the way his side could score exceptiona­l tries but fail to defend when Ayr turned the screw. There were plenty of talking points – four yellow Kerr and Jordan Edmunds had touched down for the hosts and Ciaran Whyte kicked two conversion­s and a penalty.

A converted Fraser Grant try hauled Marr back into the contest and, although Matthews claimed the bonus point score for Boroughmui­r, Sturgeon levelled the scores by converting a Stephen Adair try then booting a penalty.

Matthews then completed his hat-trick and Whyte converted to leave the Edinburgh side seven points clear. With six minutes of injury time played, William Farquhar crashed over for the visitors leaving Sturgeon with a kick to share the spoils.

His miss handed Boroughmui­r their first win of the campaign and delighted the home coach Peter Wright, who neverthele­ss knows there is still work to do.

“The win was the most important thing. We need to take the good stuff. The good stuff was really good,” he said. “We just need to try and improve on the decisionma­king. But I’m happy we’ve broken our duck.” cards to Ayr’s George Hunter, Gregor Henry and Frazier Climo and County’s Remy Chies – and how Ross Curle escaped one for a tip-tackle on Mcdowall. Let’s put it down to English referee George Selwood’s law interpreta­tions being puzzling.

Ayr lost Robert Mcalpine early on with a nasty-looking neck or back injury, then had to go to unopposed scrums when the impressive Steven Longwell and Robbie Smith both limped off.

However, Ayr finished deserved winners and look forward to their Ayrshire derby against Marr on Saturday. Ayr’s try scorers were: Scott Lyle (2), Climo, Blair Macpherson, Robbie Nairn, Harry Warr and Mcdowall, with Lyle kicking four conversion­s and a penalty. Logan Trotter, Jonny Hope (2), Jericevich and Ruaridh Swan crossed for County, with Hope adding four conversion­s.

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