Melrose 23

Ayr 18

Eilidh Walker at Murrayfield

MELROSE staged a magnificent second-half fight back to triumph over Ayr in a tight BT Cup Final at Murrayfield on Saturday.

And the Greenayrds club ended a run of five final defeats in a row.

Melrose arrived hoping to put the disappointment of losing out to Ayr in the BT Premiership league final the previous week behind them.

Ayr were looking for a clean sweep and as play got underway that looked likely.

It took the Millbrae side just 42 seconds to score when after collecting the ball from the kick-off, they thundered towards the line and flanker Will Bordill got the offload to winger Danny McCluskey who ran straight through for an opening try. Frazier Climo missed the conversion.

Despite significant breaks from Nyle Godsmark and Patrick Anderson, who had replaced winger Sam Pecqueur in the starting line-up on the morning of the match due to illness, the momentum remained with Ayr, who dominated territory and possession in the opening stages.

After 18 minutes, Melrose’s fortunes changed and from a lineout on the five-metre line they drove over the line, with Grant Runciman getting the ball to ground. Jason Baggott missed the conversion to take the score level at 5-5.

The first-half was a very stop start affair with both teams conceding penalties, which prevented any significant passages of play, and any further try opportunities for either side.

With just over ten minutes left of the first-half Baggott secured a penalty from close to the half-way line, to take Melrose ahead for the first time in the match 8-5.

This lead was short-lived when minutes later Melrose were penalised for holding on and Climo landed the penalty to draw level again at 8-8.

Melrose were camped out in the Ayr 22 for the last five minutes of the first-half but could not make it to the try line so the teams went in tied at half-time.

Following the break, Baggott kicked a further penalty to put Melrose ahead 11-8, after Ayr were penalised for being offside just three minutes into the half.

Minutes later Ayr charged down a kick from Baggott, gifting them possession and leaving Melrose scrambling to defend their line but as Ayr crossed the line, Man of the Match Runciman held the ball up and denied them the try.

After 48 minutes of play Ayr scrum-half David Armstong popped the ball out to a waiting Will Bordill, on the Melrose 22, who ran in their second try of the game and Climo added the conversion to take their lead to 11-15.

Baggott was replaced by Murdo McAndrew, which saw Bruce Colvine move to the wing, George Taylor move to the centre and Craig Jackson taking over kicking duties.

Ayr furthered their lead when at 60 minutes Climo secured another penalty to take the score to 11-18.

With less than 15 minutes left on the clock Taylor gathered the ball near to the ten-metre line and with Ayr’s defence slow to react, ran in the try, the conversion from Craig Jackson levelled the score at 18-18.

The last phases of the game were a tense affair for both sides but Melrose had possession and with a forward-driven attack, drew in their opponents. McAndrew sent the ball out wide to Jackson, who reached Godsmark who crossed the line and with Jackson missing the conversion rounded out the day’s scoring.

Melrose clung on, despite Ayr’s best attempts to salvage a win, to end the match 23-18.

Melrose Head Coach Rob Chrystie said: “It’s been a long week and there has been a lot of emotion over the past week and in the performance you saw that.

"It wasn’t the prettiest game of rugby but as a contest it was great and the want and the desire was there.

“We’ve lost a lot of finals out there and to get that Monkey off our backs is a great thing for the club and there is a lot of growth available in this team and I think we can push on even further next year and play some better rugby, which is the key thing going forward.”

Melrose: Fraser Thomson, George Taylor, Nyle Godsmark, Craig Jackson, Patrick Anderson, Jason Baggott, Bruce Colvine, Jamie Bhatti, Russell Anderson, Nick Beavon, James Head, Ruaridh Knott, Neil Irvine-Hess, Grant Runicman, Iain Moody. Replacements: Cammie Mackay, Dan Elkington, Ruairi McLeod, Ali Grieve, Murdo McAndrew, Peter Eccles, Gavin Wood

Ayr: Grant Anderson, Danny McCluskey, Ross Curle, Stafford McDowall, Craig Gossman, Frazier Climo, David Armstrong, George Hunter, Lewis Anderson, Steven Longwell, Craig Stevenson, Scott Sutherland, Blair McPherson, Peter McCallum, Will Bordill Replacements: Davis Young, D’Justice Sears-Duru, Gregor Henry, Harry Warr, Archie Russell, Richard Dalgleish, Robbie Smith