Last Saturday Kilmarnock travelled along the coast to face rivals Ardrossan Accies and mounted a rear-guard action to win a cliff hanger of a game 27-26.

The hosts with wily veteran Brian Hendry at prop won a scrum from the kick-off as Kilmarnock lost possession but the advancing Ardrossan forwards knocked on. Killie held their scrum and a thirty- metre break by Ethan MacIsaac saw him bundled into touch. Accies won the lineout and moved the ball, but their dual registered stand-off kicked straight into touch. Iain Spiers won the throw- in and Chris Milligan set off with Craig Sheppard taking a pass and broke up the blind side followed by Iain Spiers who won a penalty at the ruck. Kilmarnock refused the relatively easy kick at goal and opted to kick to the corner and promptly lost the lineout with Accies advancing through a catch and drive and moved into the Kilmarnock twenty-two with a kick from hand.

From the lineout Morton Sinclair made an attack backed up by wing forward Sam Diamond who lost the ball in contact. Accies made a blind side attack followed by their backline and were held up short of the Kilmarnock goal line and won a penalty for a high tackle. Accies opted for a scrum and after the first attempt at the set piece referee Robbie Stewart spoke to Kilmarnock captain Sam Diamond and prop Ewan Callaghan. The scrum was reset and Kilmarnock were penalised. The scrum was the favoured option and Ardrossan’s packed pushed forward and their number eight picked up and crashed over for the match’s opening try. The conversion was made, Accies 7-0 ahead after the same number of minutes.

From the restart Accies returned the ball with Morton Sinclair fielding and full back Fraser Corrance kicking but failing to find touch. Accies again returned the kick and Corrance kicked back allowing Accies to make three backline advances followed with a kick to touch inside the Kilmarnock twenty-two. The hosts stole the lineout and the forwards drove to the line to score a second converted try 14-0 to Accies with twelve minutes played.

Kilmarnock were rattled and from the restart Accies kicked back to the visitors with Chris Milligan linking with Kieran Pattie who won a penalty.
Craig McWhirter kicked to touch and inside home territory Iain Spiers won the ball and Connor Turnbull fed Fraser Corrance who linked with Ethan McIsaac who was tackled in goal for an Ardrossan drop out twenty-two. Robbie Colman fielded and took the ball into contact with scrum half Turbnbull feeding Morton Sinclair who was high-tackled but the referee missed the challenge. Kilmarnock won a scrum but were pushed backwards then turned the ball over at the breakdown and had an attempted clearance kick charged down ending in a drop out twenty-two. Iain Spiers took a quick tap drop out feeding Ewan Callaghan who was stopped in his tracks but a second phase ball through the half-backs then to Craig Sheppard who won a penalty. Connor Turnbull took a quick tap and go but lost the ball with Accies kicking up field and Kilmarnock returned the kick. Ping pong as Accies kicked back with Iain Spiers fielding and being held as he advanced. The ruck was won, and Craig McWhirter kicked ahead and Accies number eight ran back at the Kilmarnock defence and was robbed allowing Kieran Pattie to break then pass to speeding centre Robbie Colman who raced forty-five metres to score Kilmarnock’s opening try in the twenty eighth minute. Ethan McIsaac converted score 14-7 to the home side.

For the next ten minutes Accies had the bulk of possession with Adam Roy and others putting in defensive tackles. With the visitors giving away three penalties in quick succession they were soon encamped on their own goal line. From a scrum five the big Accies pack controlled the ball then released to the half backs and a third try was scored with no conversion. 19-7 with seven minutes of the half remaining.

John Limond replaced John Brown in the front row and Kilmarnock restarted with Accies winning the ball and kicking deep into the Kilmarnock half with Fraser Corrance knocking on for an Accies scrum. A pick-up at number eight then the three quarters moved the ball, but a dropped pass let centre Jordan Duncan kick and chase. The ball was fielded by the full back who kicked long and got the benefit of the bounce to find touch in Kilmarnock territory. Accies won the lineout but fumbled the ball for a Kilmarnock scrum. Iain Spiers picked up at the base linked with his half backs followed by a kick ahead. Accies returned the kick and winger Chris Milligan set off on another typical run gaining thirty metres. The ball was won at the breakdown and Corrance linked with Spiers, another phase and the ball passed between Turnbull and MacIsaac back to Spiers and Jordan Duncan and a penalty was won. In typical fashion Iain Spiers wanted to take a quick tap and go but was reigned in by a command from the touchline. Ethan MacIsaac converted the penalty from sixteen metres to narrow the scoreline 19-10 for Accies.

Accies won the ball at the restart and kicked with Chris Milligan fielding and setting off on a twenty- metre run backed up by Ewan Callaghan. Kilmarnock advanced into the Accies twenty-two and the home side were content to kick to touch from a lineout to end the first half 19-10 ahead.

Half time saw John Limond replaced by debutante Ewan Caldwell for the Kilmarnock side who kicked off into a slight breeze. Accies fielded but kicked out on the full for a lineout which Kilmarnock lost. Accies continued their ploy of the stand-off executing searching kicks. Winning a lineout Kieran Pattie broke up field with Morton Sinclair high tackled for a second time earning a penalty but no yellow for the assailant whilst the referee lectured coach Ryan Andrews for his protestations. Morton was replaced by Victor Murray and the scrum formation re-organised.

Kilmarnock found some energy and began to impose themselves on the Accies side who lapsed into slowing down the play as Kilmarnock tried to up the tempo. Aided by a couple of penalties Kilmarnock were now in the opposition territory and pressing hard. A miss kick straight out by Ewan Caldwell gave Accies a lineout which Kilmarnock stole. The half backs moved the ball with Robbie Colman passing to Fraser Corrance who broke through the defence only to drop the ball short of the goal line. In the process an Accies second row forward was yellow carded for continued infringement midway through the half. Ethan MacIsaac converted the penalty from in front of the posts to further narrow the scoreline,
19-13 for Accies.

The Kilmarnock pressure exacted its toll and following successive penalties Kilmarnock made the man advantage count as the ball moved to Robbie Colman who waltzed past three would be tacklers to score a great try on the half hour much to the delight of the travelling support.
Ethan MacIsaac converted to put Kilmarnock ahead for the first time in the match 20-19.

The euphoria was short lived. Craig Sheppard fielded the restart kick and was forced into touch for an Ardrossan lineout. Jordan Duncan was penalised for a deliberate knock on at the front of the lineout. Accies kicked to the corner for a lineout and the catch and drive from six metres resulted in a push over try in the corner. The excellent touchline conversion by the stand-off was good to restore the home lead 26-20. Eighteen minutes remaining.

Kilmarnock won a penalty following the restart and keen as ever Iain Spiers took a tap and go only to lose the ball, Accies kicked possession away and the ball fell to Craig McWhirter out to Fraser Corrance to Ethan MacIsaac who sped up to the halfway line with Kilmarnock given a penalty. Another tap and go, Kieran Pattie to Chris Milligan backed up by Craig Sheppard who went into contact and the ball alighted to Craig McWhirter who kicked ahead with Robbie Colman collecting and feeding Fraser Corrance who went over for a try near the right-hand side corner. From five metres in from touch Ethan MacIsaac made the important conversion to give Kilmarnock the slimmest of leads 27-26. Fifteen minutes to play.

After a big shift from the big man Ewan Callaghan was replaced by John Limond in the Kilmarnock pack. The tension was palpable, and the players showed it with penalties given away by both teams. Three penalties in a row to Accies saw Fraser Corrance collect a yellow card and the pressure was on the visitors. The kick to the corner earned a lineout which was followed by a drive by Accies and somehow Killie stole the ball with Sam Diamond trying to break out from the goal line feeding Craig McWhirter who held his nerve and cleared to touch. The Accies lineout on the twenty-two was won and the ball moved along the backline into touch, but play was taken back for a scrum to Kilmarnock inside the twenty-two. Iain Spiers picked up fed Craig McWhirter to Chris Milligan back to Iain Spiers who was isolated and raced two metres and then kicked to touch for an Accies lineout on the twenty-two metre line.

The referee indicated five seconds left. The lineout was taken, and Kilmarnock transgressed by playing the nine without the ball. Five metres in from the touchline the crowd were silent as the Accies number ten took an eternity with the penalty kick which sailed wide of the right-hand post. Kilmarnock winners 27-26.

Coach Stuart Pratt was not quite speechless but expressed his concern at the lack of game management at times then applauded by saying “Well done, we dug it out”. He said we are better side and praised the substitutes for their efforts. He concluded saying it would be sore for the opposition enjoy the night. Stuart named Robbie Colman his Man of the Match.