Ayr 25 - 16 Heriot's: Winger Mark Bennett catches eye and Heriot's unawares

There's no pleasing some folk. Kenny Murray had just witnessed his team enjoy a bonus point win over one of their title rivals while denying Heriot's a single point. What's more he did so in beautiful sunny conditions with a great atmosphere and an outstanding individual try from a young winger Ayr are nurturing. Still the coach wasn't happy.

"We had a high error count today," he complained. "There were needless knock-ons, some of our decision-making was wrong, we were cutting back when we should have been going the same way and then we missed some one-on-one tackles.

"We started the match well and finished it well but we got a bit fragmented in the middle and lost our shape. But credit to Heriot's because they played some good rugby at times."

Indeed they did. It is a measure of the close nature of this match that the Heriot's skipper had what looked a simple penalty attempt to regain the lead for his side on 67 minutes. He failed. Ayr marched up field with fullback Grant Anderson chipping the defence beautifully, catching the ball and then dropping it for no good reason when confronted by his opposite number.

No matter. The replacement scrum-half AJ McFarlane poached Heriot's ball at the base of the scrum and No 8 Andy Dunlop loped into the corner to make the match safe for the home side. Ross Curle converted from the touchline to deny Heriot's so much as a losing bonus point which was harsh in light of what they had contributed.

After conceding two soft scores in the opening 20 minutes to Ayr's Damien Kelly and Curle, Heriot's set about their task with some relish. Three Wilson penalties and a converted try from centre Max Learmonth meant that the Edinburgh club had a 16-10 lead at the break.

They didn't have long to enjoy it. Ayr's 17-year-old winger Mark Bennett is reckoned to be worth keeping an eye on in these parts, and Heriot's will certainly wish they'd kept closer tabs on him.

Picking up a ball on his own ten-yard line the right wing swerved his way to the try line with a show of blistering pace. He probably rounded four Heriot's players, even if one of them was the giant prop forward Wullie Blacklock who barely had time to focus on the speedster let alone attempt to stop him.

The score had his coach in raptures and, for sure, it will mean young Bennett is given far closer attention by the opposition in the future. "He's in the system," said Murray of his protg, "He played for Scotland U-18s last year while under 17, so he could play for them this season but he might not stay there. He's a match winner, that's one of the best individual tries I've seen in the three years I've been here. The footwork and pace were fantastic.He's a special player."

Ayr's very own "special one" is on international duty next weekend, when Scotland U-18s play a New Zealand touring team, which is a shame because next Saturday's opponents Glasgow Hawks boast a bit of pace out wide themselves.

Scorers: Ayr: Tries: D Kelly, Curle, Bennett, Dunlop. Con: Curle. Pen: Curle. Heriot's: Try: Learmonth. Con: Wilson. Pens: Wilson (3).

Ayr: Anderson; Bennett, Forest, Stewart, Taylor; Curle, Hunter; Reid, Fenwick, A Kelly, D Kelly, Tippett, Crossan, Adair, Dunlop. Subs: Cox, Siwo, Craig, McFarlane, MacCallum.

Heriot's: Goudie; Bryce, Learmonth, Saunders, Nimmo; Ferguson, Wilson; Dymock, Burnett, Blacklock, Hill, Martin, Parker, Eccles, Dewar. Subs: Gillies, Cameron, Reid, Lee, Walker.

Referee: R McHendry (Dumfries).