Callum Kerr
Ayr 1XV fell to their third loss on the bounce this afternoon with an unsuccessful trip to Netherdale to face Gala. In a match that ended up being a battle against the elements as well as the opposition, Gala controlled treacherous snowfall better than Ayr, cruising to a 36-5 victory.
For the second week in a row, Ayr didn’t strike a blow until the dying embers and by then it was merely a matter of honour over a realistic chance of a comeback.
Head coach Stuart Fenwick hasn’t diced his words when dissecting the previous few performances and this afternoon’s result was no different. Once again he was disappointed that a capable team struggled to find points on the road: “It’s just frustration! We didn’t adapt to the conditions and Gala continued to turn us and allow us to make errors without us really being under pressure and it just kept us in our third.
“We spoke through the week about playing more and whilst the conditions made it tricky, we didn’t try much at all”.
Ayr boasts a young team packed with razzamatazz and spark, but in the last few outings their opposition has decided how the game plays out. Describing what their main takeaway will be from the game, Fenwick touch once more on the conditions: “we need to adapt to the match and weather as things change. We proved when we did move the ball on occasion that we could do some damage but somehow didn’t continue to do so”.
It’s a performance the gaffer will be delighted to see the back of, but he did applaud the performance of one man in defeat. Scott Clelland has been a bright spark in the side for numerous seasons now, but he continues to turn heads when battling on the turf. Fenwick said: “Scotty was everywhere and continues to put in big shifts week in week out! His consistency is a massive driver for this side”.
Ayr will aim to halt their run of losses next weekend when they return to Millbrae. With a home crowd behind them and a confidence that only Millbrae can bring, Stuart Fenwick believes it’s important they put together a performance: “Stirling next Saturday is huge now for us.
“We will undoubtedly benefit from the break but it’s so important that we finish on a positive note to allow us to carry on the great start made early doors into the final quarter of the season”.
Back at Millbrae it was a narrow defeat for Ayr/Millbrae, who fell 6-7 to Marr 2XV. Despite the loss the squad will take great confidence in running the 2XV of premiership Marr to the closest of margins.