Callum Kerr @ Millbrae
This Evening the Ayrshire Bulls ended a 12-match winning streak for Watsonians with a 24-17 victory at Millbrae. It was a gruelling encounter played out with barbaric intensity – as both sides wrestled to get the better of their foes.
This was the return leg of a Watsonians win two weeks ago, making it honours even between the two front runners this season.
(Photo – George McMillan. Jamie Shedden’s Brace was the Difference Maker)
The Bulls went into the fixture full of confidence after last week’s triumph, but it was Watsonians that struck first. Just ten minutes into the fixture second row Jamie Berrisford latched onto a held-up tackle and managed to slip through the line miraculously with ball in hand. The crafty move awarded the visitors their first score which was duly converted.
The Bulls answered back in thunderous fashion. They looked under the cosh when a magical counter-attack from Liam McNamara saw him slice through the line and prance out of his half. The full-back drew the final defender before finding Jamie Shedden with pin-point accuracy. The centre finished the job with ease.
With the clock marching towards the interval Shedden bagged his brace. A fortuitous grubber rattled off a couple of legs before shooting behind the Watsonians line for him to scoop up and dive clear.
Half-time: Ayrshire Bulls 14-7 Watsonians
The gruelling nature of play continued into the second half with there being paper-thin differences between the sides. After a confident period of play from Watsonians they were rewarded a free shot at goal. James Malcolm managed to win a turnover in the shade of his owns post but some jubilation spilled over into a shove and referee David Sutherland switched the call to a Watsonians penalty. Jason Baggott didn’t need to be asked twice to convert it into three points.
The defining period of the match came soon after. A rolling maul try, initially awarded to James Malcolm but later assigned to Bobby Beattie gifted the Bulls a commanding 21-10 lead. A Will Hunt penalty with ten left to play made it 24-10 and put Pat Macarthur’s men in touching distance of victory.
As the final seconds dwindled away Watsonians kept plugging along and managed to secure a final try to seal a losing bonus and keep them top of the table.
Full-Time: Ayrshire bulls 24-17 Watsonians.
Although the match was won in the trenches, Jamie Shedden’s two tries ended up being the point of difference for the Bulls, which earned him FOSROC Player of the Match honours.