Ticket Details for the second-leg of the club’s Premiership Play-off quarter-final against Ayr United at Somerset Park on Friday Partick Thistle supporters can book their tickets for either the West Stand (seating) or Railway End (terracing behind the goal) They are available HERE If any disabled/ambulant supporters require a carer then they will be able to obtain 1 free carer ticket by calling our Club Shop on 01292 263435 (option 1) Supporters must have a ticket or they will not be permitted entry to the Stadium Tickets must be purchased online in advance of the match as there will not be any cash gates in operation at Somerset Park Firefighters have responded to a reported structure fire in Ayr in the Burdekin Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) tells BBC Scotland: \"I can't really sum it up to be honest \"The gaffer pulled me yesterday and said he wanted more from me and said he wanted more from me I hope that's enough that I've given him tonight \"There were question marks on our bottle and the last couple of results there was no doubt who the champions of the Championship are it was an aim the gaffer spoke about to try and do an Ipswich Town scenario after going 1-0 down in the game and a poor start and recent weeks that's been the situation for us I've had some amazing memories in my career but this will be the most content and fulfilled that I've felt in my career \"Players can come through this system again The youth system gave me everything and now it'll be back you'll see kids progressing and playing for Falkirk We had a day out on Saturday as a team and the teams that drink together I'm just delighted for everyone at the football club \"Thank you to my wife for putting up with me when I've been so crabbit recently It's not like I've just arrived in the Championship myself We were knocking on the door with Raith Rovers We knew with the style of play and players we had how many fans we've had - they've backed us all season The reality is sometimes you believe and it's false But we stayed up there for a long term to get shot down \"We made it hard for ourselves over the last few weeks but the guys have shown enormous character to come back in the game play our football and get the goals we deserve \"I can't compliment the players highly enough \"The league table never lies and we've been there [top] for a long time\" everyone knows how difficult the Championship is and written his name in the history books of Falkirk FC It could get even better - he's nominated for the PFA Manager of the Year award We'll hear from him shortly."},{"@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c8x82p8nl9wt?post=asset:d7f558a6-0de1-4dc6-93ee-8f133d043a9b","isAccessibleForFree":"true","headline":"'Championes and the confetti canons boom as the trophy is lifted into the air Queen's 'We Are The Champions' rings around the ground Apparently John McGlynn asked his players before the game 'on Monday would you rather be in Falkirk or Ibiza?' They'll be on the next plane out They've been the front runners and set the tempo they've been the best team to watch and played the best football after all that - let's have a look at the scorelines across the Championship at full time Macaulay Tait's first-half own goal was the difference and Partick will now face Ayr United in the first round of the Scottish Premiership playoffs Livingston needed a win to try and clinch the title Livingston will have to wait and see if they can navigate the play-offs Partick Thistle will play Ayr United on Tuesday night that will be live on BBC Scotland from 7.30pm 405Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGoalscorers Ross and Miller reflect on title winpublished at 22:32 British Summer Time 2 May22:32 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies tells BBC Scotland: "I can't really sum it up to be honest "The gaffer pulled me yesterday and said he wanted more from me and said he wanted more from me I hope that's enough that I've given him tonight "There were question marks on our bottle and the last couple of results after going 1-0 down in the game and a poor start and recent weeks that's been the situation for us but to come out and win the league it's incredible." Falkirk's Ethan Ross celebrates with fans 313Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Content and fulfilled' Arfield celebrates trophypublished at 22:30 British Summer Time 2 May22:30 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Falkirk hero Scott Arfield tells BBC Scotland: "What a special night I've had some amazing memories in my career but this will be the most content and fulfilled that I've felt in my career there's so many sub-plots and co-stars.. "I saw the club from afar 15 years ago Now to where it's going to get to again.. it'll get back to the club I knew it was "Players can come through this system again The youth system gave me everything and now it'll be back you'll see kids progressing and playing for Falkirk "We were always going to win this game 425Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Ipswich' emulated by Falkirkpublished at 22:25 British Summer Time 2 May22:25 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Finally from manager JohnMcGlynn: "First day back we said 'Ipswich' "It's not something you say publicly I'm just delighted for everyone at the football club "Thank you to my wife for putting up with me when I've been so crabbit recently and you never got those moments back." 333Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFantastic Falkirk lift the league trophypublished at 22:23 British Summer Time 2 May22:23 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Falkirk lift the Scottish Championship trophy 403Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMcGlynn talks of promotion 'belief'published at 22:22 British Summer Time 2 May22:22 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies More from league-winning manager John McGlynn: "I had plenty of belief It's not like I've just arrived in the Championship myself how many fans we've had - they've backed us all season The reality is sometimes you believe and it's false they gave us a run for our money at the end but we've come out on top." 224Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Absolutely different class' - McGlynnpublished at 22:18 British Summer Time 2 May22:18 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Falkirk manager John McGlynn tells BBC Scotland: "It's an amazing feeling "We made it hard for ourselves over the last few weeks but it's all come to fruition tonight "I can't compliment the players highly enough "The league table never lies and we've been there [top] for a long time" It speaks volumes of the players that they could step up and continue to play the standard we've played at." 334Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMcGlynn-Mania!published at 22:13 British Summer Time 2 May22:13 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies He's guided Falkirk to consecutive titles It could get even better - he's nominated for the PFA Manager of the Year award 632Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Championes ole!'published at 22:09 British Summer Time 2 May22:09 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Brad Spencer has the trophy with Coll Donaldson Queen's 'We Are The Champions' rings around the ground 352Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingA touch of classpublished at 22:08 British Summer Time 2 May22:08 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Amy CanavanBBC Scotland at Falkirk Stadium John Rankin has came out onto the pitch to show his respect… 426Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 22:05 British Summer Time 2 May22:05 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies 363Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 22:04 British Summer Time 2 May22:04 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Here comes Neil Doncaster with Falkirk legend Alex Totten I'm sure Amy Canavan was there somewhere They'll have to drag those Falkirk players out of the dressing room soaked to the back teeth with Peroni (other lagers are available) and feeling exuberant 264Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSwing on the bar!published at 22:00 British Summer Time 2 May22:00 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies 3410Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingIt's Miller time!published at 21:55 British Summer Time 2 May21:55 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Calvin Miller blasts in Falkirk's third 383Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingParty time!published at 21:54 British Summer Time 2 May21:54 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Apparently John McGlynn asked his players before the game 'on Monday would you rather be in Falkirk or Ibiza?' Falkirk Manager John McGlynn and his coaching staff celebrate promotion 515Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:51 British Summer Time 2 May21:51 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Amy CanavanBBC Scotland at The Falkirk Stadium 656Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Great professionalism'published at 21:48 British Summer Time 2 May21:48 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies James McFaddenFormer Scotland forward on BBC Scotland Tonight was the first night that there was big jeopardy for Falkirk They've been the front runners and set the tempo they've been the best team to watch and played the best football 696Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:47 British Summer Time 2 May21:47 BST 2 MayFT: Falkirk 3-1 Hamilton Accies Ethan Ross has been carried through the crowd on someone's shoulders high-fiving children and taking in the adulation Not the only one being celebrated like an icon Liam Henderson is lifted high among the Falkirk crowds 563Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingScores around the grounds...published at 21:43 British Summer Time 2 May21:43 BST 2 MayRight after all that - let's have a look at the scorelines across the Championship at full time 345Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFULL-TIME Livingston 0-1 Partick Thistlepublished at 21:43 British Summer Time 2 May21:43 BST 2 MayPartick Thistle seal a playoff berth with a win over second-place Livingston Macaulay Tait's first-half own goal was the difference Livingston needed a win to try and clinch the title but failed to score despite being on top for most of the game 949Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingprevious pagePage 1 of 51 2 3 4…5 next pageImage source, SNSImage caption, Ben Dempsey scored the only goal of the game Third-top Ayr United prepared for their promotion play-off quarter-final by ending a run of four games without a win away to second-bottom Airdrieonians in the Scottish Championship. Midfielder Ben Dempsey scored the only goal of the game with a looping header a minute before the break. The hosts, now without a win in four outings, face a play-off semi-final of their own as they try to avoid relegation to League 1. Scott Brown's Ayr will face Partick Thistle away from home on Tuesday evening, live on BBC Scotland, before the return leg in Ayrshire on Friday, 9 May, also live on BBC Scotland. Airdrieonians will find out their relegation play-off opponents when the League 1 season culminates on Saturday. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made McGrattan at 66 minutesSubstituteshome team McGrattan at 66 minutesSubstitutesNumber 29 Rus Match OfficialsReferee: Steven KirklandAssistant Referee 1: Craig FergusonAssistant Referee 2: Steven SpenceMatch StatsKey Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. It looks like JavaScript is not enabled in your browser A vacant shop in Ayr is coming alive with hard-to-find European delicacies as Mary Wegert prepares to take the plunge into small business with ‘Slice of Europe’ Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The file could not be found for a number of reasons such as the file being moved or deleted. Please check your spelling and if you still can't get to the right page try heading to the homepage for a look around If you still have problems, try contacting us and we'll do what we can to help you. Click here to get back to where you came from. It all comes down to the final dance between Ayr and Watsonians tomorrow at Millbrae to decide the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership for 2024/25. Both sides weathered strong opposition in their respective semi-finals, with Ayr scoring two late tries to defeat Currie Chieftains 36-26, and Watsonians defeating neighbours Heriot’s 31-12 at their place. Home side Ayr finished the regular season with a single loss – to Currie – from their 22 league matches, defeating Watsonians twice in doing so. Those two hit outs were decided by a total of just nine points, 12-7 and 22-26. The visitors, on the other hand, have built steadily into the league after two losses in a row to start the season, going on to finish with 15 wins and seven losses. Watsonians’ Neil Irvine-Hess was upbeat ahead of the challenge ahead, saying in finals rugby, form goes out of the window. “Away trips to Millbrae are always difficult, but personally I don’t think there’s a better place to play a meaningful game of rugby in Scotland. The challenge of winning there is fantastic and it’s just about getting ourselves up for that and be mentally ready for everything that brings.” Ayr’s stand-off Bobby Beattie said his side has exceeded even the team’s own high expectations for the season. “I’m expecting to be feeling pretty sore the next day. There are some big boys playing at Watsonians, they have a big forward pack. It’s games like that for us that are our most physical games we can encounter, and you can see by the two scorelines in the season that they’ve both been tight battles and it’ll go down to the wire.” The match kicks off at 4:30pm on Saturday 26 April from Millbrae. If you can’t be there, you can watch the live coverage on BBC ALBA from 4:20pm, on BBC iPlayer, and internationally on the Scottish Rugby YouTube channel. Sign-up for our newsletter today to receive the latest updates, content and releases from Scottish Rugby. We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies. We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below. The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent. You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data. Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns. Scott Arfield has made a tremendous impact since his return to Falkirk Scottish Championship: Ayr United v Falkirk Coverage: Live on BBC Scotland and BBC Sport website & app Falkirk will take a huge step towards clinching the Scottish Championship title if they can win away at Ayr United on Friday in front of the BBC Scotland cameras Victory for John McGlynn's side would open up an 11-point lead on nearest challengers Livingston who would need victory away to Greenock Morton on Saturday to keep the contest going Falkirk have lost both of their visits to Somerset Park this season and the hosts have their own pressing agenda since finishing second means one less round of matches in the arduous promotion play-off phase A 1-0 defeat away to Raith Rovers last weekend means Ayr trail Livingston by three points on the final stretch There was only one goal in it when Ayr beat Falkirk in the League Cup back in July but the Honest Men took full advantage of an early red card for Ross Graham to smash in five in the previous Championship meeting on their own patch That was one of of only five second-tier defeats for last season's League One invincibles - Livingston dished out three others The second of those losses to Livi reduced the gap at the top to a single point at the turn of the year then McGlynn played a trump card with the signing of Scott Arfield after the 36-year-old left Bolton Wanderers who started his career at Falkirk before leaving in 2010 took just 46 seconds to score on his way to a hat-trick on his debut against Partick Thistle Arfield has not looked back and his tally stands at eight goals in nine appearances to join Brad Spencer and Calvin Miller as Falkirk's top scorers in the league Ayr made a high-profile signing of their own halfway through last term with Scott Brown arriving as head coach when their Championship status was under threat The former Celtic captain has built impressively on that rescue mission but they have won just once in five outings since this showdown under the Friday night lights and the next - away to Livingston - will go a long way to determining where Ayr start in their bid for promotion Falkirk might not get the deal done this weekend but the champagne is cooling for a second successive title party to end a 15-year long wait to return to the top flight Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool & 'expected to join' Real Madrid - reaction and updates Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool at end of season Watch World Snooker Championship final: Zhao extends lead over Williams The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived John Simm stars in the provocative 90s drama Warm-hearted comedy with Ben Miller and Sally Phillips Follow two ambitious river restoration projects What is still to be decided as season reaches climax Scotland men's internationals to be shown live on BBC Commonwealth Games: Why is it so special to be part of Team Scotland From titles to tinpottery - rank Scotland's top 10 clubs Palmer's brilliance could be key moment in Chelsea's Champions League quest Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Still number one & 'sparring' with Draper - return of Sinner Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages How Bournemouth turned tables on set-piece specialists Arsenal VideoHow Bournemouth turned tables on set-piece specialists Arsenal Vardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer 'Pretty special' - Leeds and Burnley's fight for Championship title Match-fixing scandal to Crucible final - fall and rise of Zhao Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show 'Painful but we'll be back' - Luton's rise and fall 'Balls all over the Crucible floor' as pocket breaks during semi-final Video'Balls all over the Crucible floor' as pocket breaks during semi-final Two opposing views on football's transgender ban Varsho makes 'crazy' behind-the-back catch VideoVarsho makes 'crazy' behind-the-back catch then Muirhead converts penalty after Ayr keeper Stone fouls Montano Kelly steers in third goal just before break and Montano adds fourth late in second half McAlear volleys in brilliant fifth from the edge of the box Win secures second for Livi and means Falkirk cannot win the title on Saturday you don't have to wait long for more Scottish football Hearts v Aberdeen is live on BBC One Scotland tomorrow from noon and hopefully it's as entertaining as this evening's game 51Shareclose panelShare pageCopy link About sharingMartindale won't 'read too much into' thumping winpublished at 21:55 British Summer Time 18 April21:55 BST 18 AprilFT: Livingston 5-0 Ayr United Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "You'd have taken 5-0 before the game "I thought first half really good performance and really good goals second half we managed the game and hit them on the counter at and some good goals "You don't read too much into it It's a good performance and three points "I don't read too much into that if I'm honest but it's Falkirk's to lose." 41Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWATCH: Livi score fifth in Ayr routpublished at 21:53 British Summer Time 18 April21:53 BST 18 AprilFT: Livingston 5-0 Ayr United Reece McAlear rounds off Livingston win with great strike 51Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWATCH: Montano makes it 4-0published at 21:50 British Summer Time 18 April21:50 BST 18 AprilFT: Livingston 5-0 Ayr United Cristian Montano adds fourth for Livingston 51Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingLivi laying down a playoff marker?published at 21:46 British Summer Time 18 April21:46 BST 18 AprilFT: Livingston 5-0 Ayr United Livingston's Lewis Smith tells BBC Scotland: "It was a great result "It's one of our best performances of the season "We might face Ayr again in a few weeks it will give us confidence going into that "A cleansheet to top it off is good as well." we've been starting games really well 'We've been in a good place and I think tonight showed that." 93Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFULL-TIME Livingston 5-0 Ayr Unitedpublished at 21:39 British Summer Time 18 April21:39 BST 18 AprilIn a game where many would have expected a right good end-to-end clash Livingston romped to an easy victory at home Stephen Kelly scored a first-half double either side of Robbie Muirhead's penalty before Cristian Montano swept in their fourth in the closing stages of the game Reece McAlear's left-footed volley was rattled in for a spectacular fifth Falkirk's wait to secure the title will go on for another weekend 157Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGOAL Livingston 5-0 Ayr Unitedpublished at 91 mins91 minsReece McAlear 228Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 89 mins89 minsLivingston 4-0 Ayr United Michael Stewart has given him his Player of the Match award 85Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 87 mins87 minsLivingston 4-0 Ayr United very similar to Livi's Lewis Smith in the first 45 30Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGOAL Livingston 4-0 Ayr Unitedpublished at 80 mins80 minsCristian Montano he's been heavily involved throughout and Montano's composed finish fires under the diving Stone 2810Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 72 mins72 minsDanny Finlayson has a golden chance to get the fourth He makes a run off his marker at the back post but side-foots the whipped corner the wrong side of the post 77Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 69 mins69 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United Both sides threaten the goal in quick succession but both moves are scuppered by a poor final ball I'm not sure there's a team you'd like to face less than Livingston with a three-goal lead to defend 53Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 64 mins64 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United A close-range Lewis Smith effort is cleared after some pinball stuff in the Ayr United box 13Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingDouble Livi swappublished at 61 mins61 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United Jamie Brandon and Robbie Muirhead head off Coming on are Dan Finlayson and Tete Yengi 26Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 60 mins60 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United 40Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 59 mins59 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United Livi get up the pitch for the first time in the second half and really should score Lewis Smith stabs the ball across the face of goal but no yellow shirts are in the right spot 40Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 56 mins56 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United Mark McKenzie has a free header on the end of a looping Jay Henderson free-kick but he nods it off a Livi player's back and doesn't work the keeper 22Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 53 mins53 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United Ayr fashion half a chance as they try to claw some ground back A foul is given for a foul on Livi's Jamei Brandon in the area and all the momentum falls out of that attack It has certainly been a more competitive start to the second 45 for the visitors 41Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 48 mins48 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United 61Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingKICK-OFFpublished at 46 mins46 minsLivingston 3-0 Ayr United 23Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingprevious pagePage 1 of 31 2 3 next pageThis video can not be played Livingston swept aside fellow promotion-chasers Ayr United to secure second place in the Scottish Championship and ensure Falkirk have to wait to try to seal the title. David Martindale's side had to win to deny Falkirk the chance to win the league - and promotion - on Saturday and blew Ayr away in the first half in particular. Stephen Kelly's deflected strike on six minutes gave them the lead, and Robbie Muirhead's penalty after goalkeeper Harry Stone fouled Cristian Montano put them in firm control. Kelly drilled in his second and Livingston's third before the break to effectively seal an important three points, before Montano rolled in the fourth late on. Reece McAlear capped a dominant performance with a precise volley from the edge of the box as Livingston made a statement ahead of potential play-off rematch. If Falkirk defeat Raith Rovers on Saturday they would have one hand on the trophy given John McGlynn's side would be six points clear of Livingston with two games left, and a goal difference advantage of at least 15. But at the very least Livingston now know if they end up in the play-offs they will play one fewer round after sealing second spot, and are poised to take advantage if Falkirk slip up in the title race. Scott Brown's Ayr will finish third in the league and face either Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers or outsiders Morton over two legs in the play-off quarter finals. Livingston manager David Martindale: "I thought first half was a really good performance and we scored really good goals. Second half, we managed the game and hit them on the counter. "You don't read too much into it. It's a good performance and three points, but we've still got a lot to do. If Falkirk stumble, they stumble, but it's Falkirk's to lose." Watret Match OfficialsReferee: Steven McLeanAssistant Referee 1: Ross MacLeodAssistant Referee 2: Ross AndersonMatch StatsKey Detectives have revealed a person of interest as part of an investigation into the death of a North Queensland man who was non-verbal and largely housebound Police have released video of his awful living conditions Free school lunches haven’t done much to win support in the Burdekin electorate where angry residents feel change is needed in Brisbane The away side has triumphed in all three previous league meetings this season Scottish Championship: Livingston v Ayr United Where: Home of the Set Fare Arena When: Friday text updates on BBC Sport website & app Livingston can keep their slim chances of winning the Championship alive at home to Ayr United but Friday's BBC Scotland live match is almost certainly more about who finishes second Lions boss David Martindale conceded the title a few weeks ago and his team are six points behind Falkirk with three games left to play It would take a dramatic collapse from John McGlynn's side for Livingston to pip them at the post Falkirk can all but seal a second successive promotion with a win at home to Raith Rovers on Saturday whatever happens in West Lothian Being runner-up is still important since it means avoiding the first round of games in the Premiership play-offs After a gruelling season in the second tier that lighter workload cannot be underestimated Ayr United have slipped five points behind Livingston and must avoid defeat to stay in the hunt for second The Honest Men then finish against Queen's Park and Airdrieonians while Livingston face Hamilton Academical and play-off chasing Partick Thistle Given all four of those opponents have their own burning issues nothing can be taken for granted in this most unpredictable of divisions both Livingston and Ayr United have enjoyed their away days against the other this season with the three previous encounters all won by the visitors The most recent fixture in February saw Livingston grab a 2-1 win with Robbie Muirhead scoring an injury time winner at Somerset Park Muirhead was also on the scoresheet in the October meeting in Ayrshire which again resulted in a 2-1 win for the Lions United were the team celebrating in December thanks to George Oakley's solitary goal Despite their respective good fortunes on the road Livingston should be considered favourites given their better form After a patchy period in late February and March Livingston have come back strongly to win four of their past five matches – including a 5-0 demolition of Queen's Park to lift the SPFL Trust Trophy although they did earn a creditable 1-1 draw with Falkirk in front of the BBC Scotland cameras last Friday Mackie's stunning volley fires Falkirk into lead just before break Walker bundles in late equaliser but is red carded soon after Falkirk nine points clear of Livingston at top of Scottish Championship Falkirk will not mathematically secure title this weekend even if Livi lose to Morton on Saturday A little stat to end your night with - Ethan Walker has scored four goals for Ayr United this season All four have come from the 90th minute onward It was an important goal tonight against a Falkirk side that Scott Brown called "horrible" after the match The Championship race isn't quite done yet then 92Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingBrown praises players - and even referee!published at 22:02 British Summer Time 11 April22:02 BST 11 AprilFT: Ayr United 1-1 Falkirk Ayr United manager Scott Brown tells BBC Scotland: It's not that far off [the title being won] to be honest They've came here twice and we've taken four points "John's done a great job with them We could have been in at half-time 1-0 up it but I love the never-say-die attitude that the lads have and a good fourth official who actually talked to me!" 217Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'It feels like a defeat' - Mackiepublished at 21:59 British Summer Time 11 April21:59 BST 11 AprilFT: Ayr United 1-1 Falkirk Player of the match Liam Henderson tells BBC Scotland: "We did really well Goalscorer Sean Mackie: "It feels like a defeat The message at half-time was to keep the clean sheet Normally I sky it and the manager's on at me." 42Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'We let ourselves down' - McGlynnpublished at 21:53 British Summer Time 11 April21:53 BST 11 AprilFT: Ayr United 1-1 Falkirk Some more from John McGlynn: "Calvin has been on fire he tore them apart down the right hand side in the first half I won't destroy him because of the miss but if we got a two-goal cushion we'd have been home and dry "Calvin's a top player and I'd expect him to hit the target from there Teams like Ayr and Livingston aren't going to roll out the red carpet for you 93Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'One step closer' for Falkirk despite dropping pointspublished at 21:44 British Summer Time 11 April21:44 BST 11 AprilFT: Ayr United 1-1 Falkirk Falkirk manager John McGlynn tells BBC Scotland: "It's another point on the board "I thought it was really good advert for Championship football Our first half performance was really good we had opportunities we should have done better with but then Sean Mackie comes up with a great strike and I thought we were deserving of that "Ayr put us under pressure second half Calvin [Miller] is one-v-one but balloons it over the bar "A wee bit disappointed but one step closer." 133Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 21:42 British Summer Time 11 April21:42 BST 11 AprilFT: Ayr United 1-1 Falkirk Leanne CrichtonFormer Scotland international on BBC Scotland Falkirk had a few big chances at 1-0 and I know John McGlynn you've got to take those chances at this stage of the season especially one that is a challenging at the top of the table 146Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhat if..?published at 21:41 British Summer Time 11 April21:41 BST 11 AprilFT: Ayr United 1-1 Falkirk Falkirk would be nine points ahead with three to play and a goal difference that is currently 20 goals better than Livi's John McGlynn's side play Raith Rovers next weekend 95Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFULL-TIME Ayr United 1-1 Falkirkpublished at 21:38 British Summer Time 11 April21:38 BST 11 AprilEthan Walker's 90th minute leveller poops the party and although the title is in Falkirk's grasp they've missed the opportunity to really strengthen their grip on it They remain nine points ahead of Livingston as things stand with David Martindale's side due to play Morton tomorrow Ethan Walker was sent off moments after his equalising goal 137Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRED CARD Ethan Walker (Ayr United)published at 90+2 mins90+2 minsAyr United 1-1 Falkirk He tripped the advancing Falkirk player in the Ayr half I didn't see when he was first booked whilst I was frantically typing at my laptop 1520Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGOAL AYR UNITED 1-1 Falkirkpublished at 90 mins90 minsEthan Walker It's a brilliant ball in from Nick McAllister Falkirk's champagne is put back in the fridge 7741Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 87 mins87 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk A great delivery from Jay Henderson that picks out Mark McKenzie in between two defenders 82Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 83 mins83 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk a recent call-up to the Scotland under-21 squad He replaces Falkirk captain Coll Donaldson 81Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 83 mins83 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk would it mildly taint winning the league if you won it based on results elsewhere Would you care if you won it on the pitch or won it thanks to Livingston losing tomorrow 35113Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 79 mins79 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk Another huge chance to seal this game goes begging Calvin Miller clips the ball to the back post where Barney Stewart is lurking 68Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 75 mins75 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk 41Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 72 mins72 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk The fourth change for Ayr United - Ethan Walker replaces George Oakley He's the man who's come closest for Ayr - his header tipped onto the woodwork by Nicky Hogarth 41Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 71 mins71 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk Ayr United have had so many opportunities to swing in a decent set-piece but they are passing up those chances again and again 111Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 68 mins68 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk Scott Arfield won't add to his goal tally tonight Aiden Nesbitt and Barney Stewart are on in their place - and Nesbitt almost scores immediately but George Stanger throws himself in front of the ball to block 63Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 63 mins63 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk He wants something different from his side 51Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 61 mins61 minsAyr United 0-1 Falkirk Scott Arfield has just issued a general ‘stay calm’ motion to the Falkirk players The auld heid is using all his experience in there 108Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingprevious pagePage 1 of 31 2 3 next pageThis video can not be played Watch the goals as Ayr prolong Falkirk's wait for title Ethan Walker's late equaliser for Ayr United delayed Falkirk's back-to-back title celebrations - and a return to the Scottish Premiership for the first time in 15 years - for at least another week. It looked like Sean Mackie's magnificent first-half strike would leave second-top Livingston needing to beat Greenock Morton on Saturday in order to deny John McGlynn's side successive promotions, but Ayr had other ideas. The hosts, who made it a nervy night for the league leaders, dug deep to spark wild scenes in the home end at Somerset Park and spoil the promotion party for Falkirk. The Bairns looked like they were carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders for large parts of the first half. They were far from the fluid side so often on show this season - none more so than last weekend's 5-0 mauling of Morton - but were sparked into life by Mackie’s sweet strike. Just before half-time, the defender latched on to a poor clearance to drill in a first-time volley and send the away fans behind the goal into raptures. Home striker George Oakley had earlier headed against the crossbar, but it could have been a more comfortable evening for the healthy travelling support had the league leaders not squandered a spree of chances. Instead, they were made to pay for their profligacy when Walker bundled home the leveller before the winger was sent off for a second yellow card. Livingston are now nine points behind and, considering Falkirk have a far superior goal difference, still cannot afford to lose in Greenock on Saturday if they are to have a realistic chance of catching the Bairns. Ayr United head coach Scott Brown: "They're a good team. They've came here twice and we've taken four points, so it shows how close we are. "John's done a great job with them. They've been together that long, they understand each other. They've made subs, we've made subs, and our subs made the difference. "Overall, it was an even game. Not too much in it. We could have been in at half-time 1-0 up, but I love the never-say-die attitude that the lads have." Falkirk manager John McGlynn: "It's another point on the board, it's another step closer. For long spells, I thought we deserved the three points. "I thought it was really good advert for Championship football. Our first half performance was really good, we had opportunities we should have done better with, but then Sean Mackie comes up with a great strike and I thought we were deserving of that." McKenzie at 76 minutesSubstituteshome team Two Yellow Cards at 90 minutes plus 3away team McKenzie at 76 minutesSubstitutesNumber 26 Thomson Match OfficialsReferee: Don RobertsonAssistant Referee 1: Ross AndersonAssistant Referee 2: Liam DuncanMatch StatsKey The Honest Men are one point clear of second-placed Falkirk, but the Bairns have a game in hand. Jay Henderson had his first-half penalty saved by Dean Lyness and it looked like Ayr might have missed their golden opportunity. But substitute McKenzie's brilliant back-post header and Stanger's thumped effort from six yards ensured Scott Brown's team have their stint as frontrunners. It's eight games unbeaten in all competitions for the Somerset Park side, with seven of those being victories. Next up for them is a Scottish Cup fifth-round tie at home to Hibernian on Friday. As for Accies, Kevin O'Hara missed a couple of half-chances and it's now four defeats in a row for John Rankin's team, who slip to ninth. Rus Match OfficialsReferee: Matthew MacDermidAssistant Referee 1: Ross NelsonAssistant Referee 2: Ross AndersonMatch StatsKey Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time Foul by Stuart McKinstry (Hamilton Academical) Connor McLennan (Ayr United) wins a free kick on the right wing George Stanger (Ayr United) right footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal Assisted by Connor McLennan following a corner George Oakley (Ayr United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal George Oakley (Ayr United) wins a free kick on the left wing Mark McKenzie (Ayr United) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner Delay in match because of an injury Steven Bradley (Hamilton Academical) Stephen Hendrie (Hamilton Academical) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page THE best team in the league avoided a slip at the final hurdle by doing what they have done all season in producing a ruthlessly professional performance which was built on uncompromising defence and striking hard when the opportunities presented themselves the game was over as a contest after just eight minutes with both head coaches agreeing afterwards that Watsonians having to sit on their hands these last three weeks (because their semi-final win was inexplicably scheduled a fortnight ahead of Ayr’s semi win over Currie Chieftains) made an already tough task a whole lot tougher Davey Wilson of Watsonians was quick to add that while this might have been a factor in how the match developed it was not being offered as reason why his team finished a distant second best SUPPORTERS’ CHOICE: Arnold Clark Premiership Supporters’ Team Of The Season REVEALED: Arnold Clark Premiership Players’ Team Of The Season URC: Edinburgh clinch a draw at the death against Zebre to breathe some life into play-off hopes “Eight minutes of madness and all of a sudden we’re 21-0 down and we’ve gone from climbing a mountain to trying to scale a cliff face,” Wilson reflected I think it as their relentless pressure defensively which pretty much put us under the pump there “I’m not making it as an excuse but its very hard when you’ve not had game for three weeks coming into this kind of situation and I think that eight minutes was a reflection of that because I don’t think Ayr had to work that hard to get those scores “I think we did well to get a foothold back into the game for 20 or so minutes of the first half but they have threats right across that backline and it is pretty hard when they are on the front foot and playing as well as they did I don’t want to take anything away from Ayr who are a well-drilled and well-coached side and they’ve been the outstanding side in the Premiership this season.” While opposite number Grant Anderson had sympathy with Watsonians predicament he was understandably proud that his team kept their eye on the prize when there is always a danger that favourites in do-or-die matches drift away from their winning formula They are big and we knew what they were going to bring fly out the traps’,” he explained “We were a wee bit rusty in last Saturday’s semi-final after not playing competitive rugby for three weeks “We came in this week and said: ‘All we’re doing is our DNA We’re not trying to do any trick plays or try to be clever Let’s nail what we know we do well.’ We only have eight and we know that if nail that then we are very difficult to stop “We worked so hard on our ‘D’ [defence] and I think the whole season that has been our thing: we don’t want to lose at home And that was the message at half-time: let’s go again and nil them in second half.” but you suspect Grant and his assistant coach Pat MacArthur might let that slide on this occasion Watsonians were in fact first to flash their teeth with Jason Baggott ghosting through midfield and carrying to just outside Ayr’s 22 and although the support he needed was not on his shoulder the visitors kept the pressure on by snaffling scrappy line-out ball a few moments later to break into their opponents 22 But then the Edinburgh side were stunned by a self-inflicted sucker-punch with a loose pass in the middle of the park being scooped up by Luca Bardelli who cruised all the way from his own 22 to dot down under the posts with just under three-minutes played setting up an easy conversion for Fergus Johnston Ayr quickly doubled up on that score by bustling their way right back into the strike zone and engineering the a gap on the left that Amena Caqusau happily zipped through to open his account for the afternoon and Johnston was again on target with the conversion from a much trickier angle on this occasion Shellshocked Watsonians kept on shooting themselves in the foot unpressurised box-kick from Murray Scott allowed Robbie Orr to run back with venom before feeding Caqusau who twice stepped inside some leaden-footed defence as he ran it home from halfway with almost indecent ease Johnston added the extras to make it 21-0 with the match barely eight minutes old and Ayr’s defensive resolve was tested for a while although not really stressed by an away team digging deep but unable to find any sort of rhythm Ayr struck again just before the half hour mark to kill the game off when Ronan Kerr initially did well to snaffle possession on the deck only for Watsonians to hand over the initiative right back to their hosts with some panicked offloading which Lewis McNamara gobbled up then carried hard before a quick exchange of passes sent Bardelli in for his second Ayr brought the curtain down on a harrowing first half for Watsonians by opting to kick goal from an offside penalty from 10-yards directly in front of the posts It was going to be a tough day for Neil Irvine-Hess – Watsonians’ retiring co-captain – no matter what happened but he certainly deserved better than stumbling off after a head knock early in the second half Ayr struck again with a set move from a scrum 10 yards from the Watsonians line and on the right of the park which involved their big backs shaping to strike in the middle only for the ball to be fed out the back to Bardelli coming off his wing to send an excellent floated pass for Caqusau to go over for his hat-trick on the left That was the Northampton Saints-bound flyer’s last contribution to the match and his replacement Tom Lanni wasted little time in carrying on where his pal had left off with some gloriously slick Ayr hands sending him over for try number six A yell0w-card picked up by Ayr full-back Robbie Orr for tipping MacPherson past the vertical in a tackle was quickly followed by that long awaited first try for Watsonians and they scored again just before the hosts returned to full complement when MacPherson went over on the right If Zander Walls hadn’t been bundled into touch just short of the Ayr line the last 20 might have been mildly interesting – but instead the game fizzled out as invariably happens in matches which have ceased to be a contest; when one side has punched themselves to a standstill without really managing to hurt their commanding opponents who in turn have taken their foot off the accelerator knowing that they have already achieved what they set out to do F Johnston (l bardelli 66); J Drummond (C Rae 18-30 M Scott (C Bell 54); C Lamberton (C Davidson 60) Scoring sequence (Ayr first): 5-0; 7-0; 12-0; 14-0; 19-0; 21-0; 26-0; 29-0 (h-t) 34-0; 39-0; 41-0; 41-5; 41-7; 41-12 it could have gone to any number of players in pink and black Amena Caqusau’s excellently taken hat-trick showed why Northampton Saints think he has professional potential but Luca Bardelli‘s opportunist opener from his own 22 got the ball rolling for Ayr delivered an excellent pass to send Caqusau over for his killer-blow third Talking point: Ayr are the kings of the swingers and had to stop … so where do they go next but the Millbrae club have shown that the standard of rugby does not have to fall through the floor It is now up to their Premiership rivals to find a way to keep pace and Murrayfield doesn’t have the money or wherewithal to run an effective performance pathway without real ambition and drive to improve at the top end of the club game Arnold Clark is the UK’s largest independent car retailer With over 70 years of experience in the automotive industry As proud partners of Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) we’re committed to supporting both professional and grassroots rugby across Scotland aligning our passion for driving forward excellence on and off the field Whether you're looking for your next car or cheering on the national team Arnold Clark is with you every step of the way Website: www.arnoldclark.com URC: Glasgow Warriors leave it too late against Bulls Website: www.arnoldclark.com Its unfair to criticize Ayr when they have done an outstanding job at building up a financially successful & sustainable rugby club It is surely up to others who aspire to be at the top of the league to learn from them There are other parts of the country where the model could be copied & other ‘super clubs’ emerge Just because every club can’t do what Ayr have done doesn’t mean nobody should be allowed to do it Not everyone in football can be a Celtic or Rangers but clubs like St Mirren and Motherwell find ways to build football clubs that are sustainable and productive at their own level I’ve often wondered why top players would go to a club where they weren’t guaranteed a game every week But maybe the answer is both a) the competition internally drives them on to better standards and b) players with jobs outside rugby don’t necassarily want to play EVERY Saturday and it suits them to rotate Here is the Ayr team that played in the final with their appearances (in 24 games) this season R Orr 16+2; A Caqusau 5+1 Only 8 of those players played more than 20 games and only 2 started more than 20 games Another 22 players also turned out for the 1st XV with these appearances C Hyde 16; C Van Wyk 11+2 There are some in there who would be first choice at other West of Scotland clubs Meanwhile some young Ayr players who weren’t getting regular game time have gone off to seek opportunities elsewhere – James McCaughtrie dual registered at Glasgow Accies; Jack Craig and Rauridh Airlie at GHA No doubt there will be players who move around this Summer among the clubs on the West coast with Marr being relegated and GHA promoted; players will find the level they want to play at There was other sides in the league fae S6 but they won the league and then play aff fiasco Buckled wae the £8 special of 4 Tennants super Looking forwards tae next season mon the Maybole Well done Ayr Co-Optomists on a 5th Scottish Rugby Championship Only another 8 titles to catch up with the club with the greatest history in Scottish rugby Keep dreaming (sorry buying) the dream 😉 If clubs like Hawick continue to dwell on historic memories and achievements rather than focus on what they can do to challenge the best teams in Scotland it will be a quick decline down the leagues for my Border Chums lager is no longer £1.50 a pint(Sadly) and Hawick are no longer a team to be feared… by anyone maybe the Club and supporters are quite happy simply having a pop at successful clubs rather than striving to copy what they are doing Ayr undoubtedly the strongest squad over the season but whats the ambition To be the big fish in an ever dwindling small pond Surely players with ambition dont want to be playing in one sided games week in week out no but realistically there is no real change on the horizon and unless the majority of clubs come in to significant amounts of money then there is no foreseeable change in the pecking order . Indeed if it is financial security that provides success then there Borders clubs in particular are on a shoogly peg GHA come up this year and Stirling County will follow the year after so the Borders clubs will do very well to all avoid being in Nat 1 in 2/3 years time To remain in an SRU limited system or something else The much bemoaned Super 6 had flaws but at the very least it provided a more competitive enviroment for the clubs involved Ayr need a middle ground between semi professionalism and professionalism Its become much more clear since Super 6 finished and the new Premiership started that there is a need for a middle step between Prem and Professionalism are we biting off our noses to spite our faces to reconsider this middle ground again because the system as it simply does not work not for aspirational players nor the age grade talent deprived of meaningful The season we have just had feels like a step back rather than a step forward I personally dont want to see a predictable often one sided process with an inevitable outcome it is up to other clubs to close the gap but in the majority of cases there is simply not the resources either financial or playing to do this and its simply about survival The system is well and truly broken for the majority of clubs and all the blue sky thinking in the world from Mr Nucifora wont change that as this comes down to a dwindling player base and limited funding… Aye deserved winners of the super 4 this year Feel for watsonians who clearly suffered from lack of match time Last game (12-7 I think) was much more competitive The main thing post season I would like is someone to come out from the SRU and actually address what is the long term plan for club rugby There are really good players in the league who just aren’t getting a chance in wider pro squads when they are clearly good enough How sheddan In particular has never got a proper pro chance is beyond me The other thing that desperately needs addressing is the standard of officiating It was clearly easier during the super 6 to create a concentrated amount of officials but now with 6 top games a weekend as well as deserved promotions to pro level so some officials it has left a very weak talent pool behind If this demonstrates what’s wrong with Scottish rugby it’s the fact that a club who works hard to create and attract income and invests it in the product on and off the field is often so heavily critised Many so called traditional supporters would rather have and actually indeed have led the game to dumbed down so they can compete Personally I believe we need a level where ambition and business practices combine to create a level that reinvents and creates a new audience before us oldies all expire Congrats Ayr and to all those who want to match them Twelve comments so far tell you everything needed about Ayr – they have bought the league and no one is interested Sport no matter what you follow now requires an effective business plan to function I feel your comment is a little unfair Elaine Still searching for the help you desperately need then Elaine always negative not in the spirit of Rugby I can see why you are so keen on defending Elaine Maybe the large home crowd at the game are still celebrating their teams success rather than their salty fingers spilling over as keyboard warriors Maybe instead of moaning other clubs and supporters should be asking ” how can we replicate that at our club” Your team this year has brought shame to the town and the borders not sure you’ll ever get to experience one now though with the team you’ve got We miss you down at Netherdale No undersoil heating at Millbrae so Selkirk told me 😁 Concentrate on your own team Hawick’s problems They’re in a sorry state at present Ayr Out in first tie of their own Sevens tourney Many problems to fix before they’re on the same level as Millbrae I have no idea who you support but posts like yours are not needed and really quite abusive One of the guys who was very important to Ayr RFC in running the lunches and dealing very well with sponsors used to say “we don’t make the rules we just abide by them” Every other club in Scotland has the facility with hard work to do what the Pink and Blacks are achieving at present Two seasons ago I watched Ryan Sweeney be a standout player for Glasgow Hawks in a few matches – he got a couple of MoM awards Similarly that season I saw Luca B and Amena C pick up Mom awards for GHA The players mentioned were picked out on tv as being Ayr’s top performers in the final There’s really no argument that success has been bought I guess it’s up to the rest to try to match Ayr financially somehow… can’t really criticise them for being the most attractive options for the best players to move to Ayr deserved there win following a long and challenging season A ten team format may reduce wear and tear on the playing resource The Ayr management will no doubt have a few in and out as players will have come to the notice of pro sides not just in our wider shores The next task for the coaching team is to develop the team going forward Could the SRU kindly get the Super Saturday final once more in tune with the Premiership Over the course of the season have been the team leading the way and the supporters and players must be thoroughly delighted There seems to always be a lot of negative talk around them but at the end of the day you can’t deny their dominance (I support another team btw…) Currie and Watsonians have been head a shoulders better than the rest Here’s hoping with the 10 team format again next season that we see continued improvement of the overall league and exposure In my opinion the rugby is way better than it gets credit for as is the coverage Scotland and Scottish rugby should be giving this league Unless dramatic overhauling I think we can expect the same top 4 again next season competing for the league I don’t think Melrose are a million miles away from what I’ve seen and expect them to get back to being in top for in the next 2-3 years Selkirk are a great side with fantastic players but are always 1-2 injuries away from being severely weakened Hawick – dominated and were so strong in the absence of super 6 clubs but seem to be thin in the ground for playing numbers GHA unbeaten – can they carry their good form back into the prem Here’s to continued improvement across the board and another fantastic campaign Just to pick up your point as to the lack of coverage Scottish Ruby is giving this league I would love to know what the The Club Rugby Board actually does I believe they are supposed to advocate on Scottish Club Rugby’s behalf but you never hear anything about them how are they advancing the cause of Scottish club rugby I would love to know because Scottish Club Rugby IMHO seriously undersells itself a clear display of where Scottish rugby is at they had set out the goal to not drop off from 5 year of semi-pro dominance and they delivered a dramatic gap in quality from the top 3 to the rest of the table Hopefully this will resolve itself over time but I can’t help but feel disbanding the super 6 was the wrong decision taken away a true platform to perform for individuals with potential pros and academy draft players as if they are not aligned with the best the gap from amateur to pro at least for 4th-12th in the league has never been bigger but place talented individuals in a sub-par league Scottish rugby is at an all time low domestically More funding to Prem and Nat 1 clubs allowing for better facilities strength and conditioning all which were taken for granted in the super 6 it is men against boys at the moment and I fear it will remain this way for the next 5+ years lower skill level and lesser infrastructure at the root of the problem We have done a terrific job at the top of the table and the boys did well to win today in what was a spectacular game to watch after watching Ayr against Currie last week I can’t help but think that the long break had a big influence on the game Ayr were below par against Currie after 2 weeks of no games Can’t help but think that the scoreline would have been a bit different had watsonians not had to sit and twiddle their thumbs for 3 weeks I do think regardless that Ayr would have come out victorious had watsonians had some proper game time prior to the 3 week fiasco of the SRU I feel the game would have been much closer Hope their number 8 is okay after that head knock David Barnes is correct in implying that Ayr have set a standard that must be reached by the other Premiership clubs if the competition is to be meaningful Super6 worked in one sense because there were only six teams in the set-up So why not reduce the size of the Premiership to say eight clubs Talented players would surely migrate to these ‘Super’ clubs Mr Barnes’ “Taking Point” hits the journalistic bullseye That match was about more than just another Ayr victory – bigger issues at play here typically disjointed Gaelic TV coverage on BBC Alba is unlikely to generate interest in rugby amongst the general public (We might make similar comments in relation to Scottish coverage of W6N and – particuilarly – summarising.) All the very best to Neil Irvine Hess in his retirement Are there rules preventing friendlies during the play offs period As I woke and rolled back my pink and black duvet this morning I had a sense of trepidation for could come but that soon subsided I have stayed quiet these last few weeks and let the rugby do the talking but like a bear waking from hibernation I was ravenous for today Blair you have led the team with aplomb this year and failed hair transplant or not you are a 10 in my eyes I just wish you could nestle me under that giant bicep like a ball and set off into the sunset We are playing chess while the rest of Scottish rugby is playing checkers We are the heart beat of Scottish rugby and Sru’s unofficial 3rd professional team so as such they have to provide us with suitable opposition you made a bit of a game of it unlike the Glaswegians and Borderers who were found wanting Tonight I will revel over what has been this season and pine for august Il leave with a quote from my favourite philosopher “I would like to apologise… to absolutely no body.” I’ll approve the majority of that hilarious post by the fake Douglas Struthlo To agree with my admirer – let’s hope the border clubs step up next season and put aside their petty in-house politics who are vastly underperforming for the talent they have had at their disposal the brutal poundings we inflicted on your team will prepare you for next season when we will hunt to thrust 100 all over you we need to add punishments to teams who refuse to play games just because they are scared – no place for that in the Super-Premiership Watsonians and Heriots are demonstrating the way forward and I cannot see past those 4 for the title next season again let’s hope Keith Wallace and Cro can schedule games in an organised way next time so that teams are not disadvantaged for play-offs (That goes for all the other aliases of course) I am understandably delighted at the final result Watsonians suffered from a 3 week lay-off as Ayr did last week against Currie Ayr came out the traps and punished some sloppy play from Watsonians The game was effectively over before the half time whistle blew It begs the question as to what are the SRU going to do to create a fair and competitive structure not only in the Premiership but in the other national leagues as 3 week gaps between competitive games simply doesn’t work .Watsonians are way better than the result today but Ayr executed their game plan to a T.As to what the SRU can implement to improve and enhance Club rugby remains to be seen SRU President Keith Wallace is an evil man – making Marr’s Kevin Quinn hand over the medals and trophy to Ayr in one of his final acts as the Premiership rep on the Club Rugby Board ye canny whack a duck wae too tits wae a pogo stick and website in this browser for the next time I comment “We did well to fight back at times, but we gave away some silly penalties, allowed them far too easy access into our 22. When you give them access to the 22 time and time again, it’s difficult to put that amount of effort in.” … “We showed a lot of fight and a lot of pride in the jersey but unfortunately we fell just a little bit short” … The true heart of the festival lies beyond the tackles and tries. Beneath the noisy surface, quieter, subtler stories unfold. Connections are reforged. Histories are honoured. Lives, briefly, are knitted closer. … Enjoyed this article? Quality journalism like ours is made possible by readers like you. If you value our in-depth coverage of Scottish rugby at all levels and want to see more, please consider supporting us with a subscription or donation It helps us keep delivering the news you love Thank you for being a part of The Offside Line community independent and up-to-date coverage of all aspects of Scottish rugby photographers and business minds bring their talents and enthusiasm to our unrivalled coverage of the game © 2016-2025 Scottish Rugby News from The Offside Line | Kept onside by webporty