Ayr21-22 Pontypridd: Ayr punished for squandering chances - VIDEO

PONTYPRIDD won with the final play of the game in a pulsating British and Irish Cup tie at Millbrae.

Ayr had enough possession and territory in the first half with the icy wind at their backs to put Pontypridd away but they blew chance after chance and went in only 14-5 ahead. Frazier Climo, current top scorer in the British and Irish Cup, slotted three penalties then, despite having created several clear-cut chances, they had to scramble for a loose ball on the Ponty line for flanker Paul Burke to claim the score with six minutes left to the break.

In the final minute of the half, a neatly executed Ponty lineout move six meters out caught Ayr napping for lock Grant Harrington to crash over with Aaron Bramwell converting from wide out.

Bramwell landed an early second-half penalty and Ayr retaliated with an Andy Wilson try converted by Climo but when a Gavin Dacey break put Owen Williams in, it set up a tense final quarter.

Just as it looked as though Ayr would hold out, the final play saw the ball whipped out to Kristian Ballard who scythed through the Ayr defence then, to win the game, converted his own try off the post

Scorers: Ayr: Tries: Burke, Wilson. Con: Climo. Pens Climo (3). Pontypridd: Tries: Harrington, O Williams, Baller. Cons: Bramwell, Baller. Pen: Bramwell.

Ayr: D Steele; J McClung, R Curle, F Climo, C Taylor; J Hunter, AJ MacFarlane (A Wilson 32); G Reid, S Fenwick, G Sykes, D Kelly, S Sutherland, J Crossan (G Tippett 53), P Burke, A Dunlop. Subs not used: S Adair, G Strain, D MacLeod, B McPherson, S Manning.

Pontypridd: M Nuttall (G Morris in 56); C Clayton, G Dacey, G Williams (A Thomas in 45), O Williams (G Williams 72); A Bramwell, K Baller; S Williams (J Williams 60), T Hetherington, K Knaggs, G Harrington, R Savage, H Dowden, M Rees (L Thorne 71), C Dicomidis. Subs not used: G Morris, R Harford.

Referee: S Lee (RFU).