Callum Kerr @ Meggetland
This evening the Ayrshire Bulls suffered their first defeat of the FOSROC Super Series Sprint with a disappointing performance against Boroughmuir Bears. Despite a six-point lead at the interval Pat MacArthur’s men ran out of answers to a belligerent Bears defence. In contrast, an unanswered 21-point haul from the hosts secured them a 29-21 win at home.
The Bears drew first blood within five minutes. A break from Trystan Andrews put them in touching distance before feeding Scott McGinley to canter over. The conversion fell short.
The lead was short-lived with Grant Stewart chalking it all up with a rolling maul try less than ten minutes later. Antony Fitch’s conversion put the Bulls ahead.
An Andrew McLean penalty for the Bears inched them back in front momentarily before Jamie Shedden responded with a try. The towering winger had men on his outside but opted for route one, muscling his way through a handful of tacklers to dot down. Fitch’s conversion made it 8-14.
The Bulls stretched their lead after half an hour. It looked like Stewart was in for a second rolling maul try, but Kerr Yule was on-hand to finish the job with Stewart brought down short.
The Bears closed out the half with three more points from McLean to keep them in contention at the break.
Half-time: Boroughmuir Bears 15 – 21 Ayrshire Bulls.
It was an uphill battle for the Bulls in the second half. A succession of soft penalties mixed with a Bears resurgence made grim viewing for the travelling support. Pinned in their own 22, the Bulls began to lose hold of the fixture.
The Bears first score of the half came through Corey Tait. On his return from a ten-minute sin binning the hooker fought his way to the line with McLean’s conversion putting them a point ahead.
Ten minutes later Tait was in again and this time Mclean’s conversion took the lead out with a score.
The Bulls rallied late in an attempt to salvage something from the fixture. In amongst the frantic late efforts Ayr Youth Academy product Scott Watson took to the field to make his Ayrshire Bulls debut.
Pat MacArthur’s men threw everything at it but the Bears weathered an almighty onslaught to deny them any consolation.
Full-time: Boroughmuir Bears 29-21 Ayrshire Bulls.
Boroughmuir’s Jack Fisher was named FOSROC Player of the Match.