Ardrossan Academicals 58 - Cumnock / Kilmarnock Cougars 26.

To be fair however the team played well and the eventual scoreline flattered the home team.

Ardrossan started off lively enough and scored from the Number Eight breaking from a scrum and diving over. This move was repeated a number of times during the game and allowed the home team to put a few points on the board before the Cougars woke up to it. The highlight of a poor first half for the Cougars was a try from Gregor Paxton after a typical mazy run, which went unconverted. Ardrossan went in 24-5 ahead at the interval.

The Cougars looked a better side in the second half and got back into the game with another score from Paxton, converted by David Smith. The front row of Stuart McEwan, Robbie McLaren and Andrew Harkiss were making their prescence felt in the scrums with a few strikes against the head putting a big smile on the wee hooker's face. Scrum-half Aiden Kerr was getting a reasonable amount of ball to keep the backs happy but with the Ardrossan backs persistenly off-side there was little room for them to work in.

Fly half Smith went off injured and Gregor Aitken moved to the ten position and Paxton to inside centre. A quick score from Paxton, which he converted opened the game up and shortly afterwards when Aitken coasted through the defence to score, the Cougars had their hosts rattled. However tired players and poor tackling saw the Accies increase their lead and with time running out there was no way back.

Positive points included the performance of full back Thomas Bowditch under the high ball and linking up with his forwards when in possession. Some of the rucking from Neil Kerr was a delight and the line-out and scrums functioned reasonably well.

Team: McEwan, McLaren, Harkiss, Faulds, N Kerr, Barr, Philips, Reilly, A Kerr, Smith, Wight, Aitken, Paxton, Hamilton, Bowditch. Subs: Frater, McCulloch, Young