Gala capped a stunning season when they outclassed a disappointing Ayr side in a nervy RBS Cup final.
It produced only occasional glimpses of the flowing rugby that is the hallmark of these sides, but was nevertheless an engrossing affair.
Gala's last appearance at Finals Day was the well-documented launch-pad for the career of Chris Paterson. Since then the annual club rugby jamboree has also been the proving ground for others who have made their way into the professional ranks.
Of those on show yesterday, Gala stand-off Lee Millar showed his potential to join them, running the show with an outstanding kicking performance that earned the man-of-the-match award.
There was unanimity among the coaches that the best side took the trophy. Gala have marked their return to the top flight with a bang, and coach George Graham issued a warning to other clubs, insisting his team is still in the early phase of development. "We can get better. If we can keep them together, I think we will get better," he said.
His counterpart Kenny Murray cut a despondent figure, but was typically magnanimous. "We were the second-best team from the first to the 80th minute," he admitted. "I thought some players just didn't turn up. Gala were the better team – I thought they controlled the game well."
Gala were first to register on the scoreboard when Millar stroked over a penalty after five minutes.
The pace the Borderers possess behind the scrum was evident as they unleashed their backs from deep attacking positions.
Ayr, though slow from the blocks, squared matters nine minutes later when Ross Curle landed the equalising kick.
But Ayr's penalty count was mounting and when Curle strayed off-side, referee James Matthew deemed it an offence too far and yellow-carded the culprit. Gala were instantly back on the offensive, skipper Opeta Palepoi bulldozing his way into contact.
The ball was transferred swiftly to the left where Craig Robertson displayed his sprinter's pace to race in at the corner. Millar hammered over the touchline conversion to hand the Maroons a merited lead.
Matthew then levelled the numbers in personnel terms when he dispatched Gala prop Ewan McQuillin for 10 minutes after an offence at a ruck. Again the impact was instantaneous as an Ayr drive was repelled, but Denford Mutamangira was on hand to power over. Robbie Fergusson's conversion proved to be the final scoring of the opening 40 minutes.
Gala made the better start to the second half but posed little threat to the Ayr line.
However, the central character remained the referee who brandished yellow for the third time when Andy Wilson tackled Robertson in mid air.
Matters deteriorated for the defending champions when Stuart Fenwick earned 10 minutes on the sidelines for an off-side offence in front of his posts. Millar slotted the resultant award then booted his fourth kick of the match in 59 minutes.
Curle was short with a 35-metre penalty and Millar responded with a lesson in the art of goal kicking as he extended Gala's lead to nine points.
There was no way back for Ayr when McQuillin applied the finishing touch after a secondary surge shunted back Ayr's defence.
Millar missed the conversion but that was of little consequence as the Gala supporters, accompanied by the local brass band, kicked off their celebrations. Savouring the closing minutes with them was a remarkably calm Graham, who said: "As soon as we got that second score, I knew we had won. It was just a matter of shutting them out."
Gala: A McLean, G Young, B Turner, A Emond, C Robertson, L Millar, George Graham, L Pettie R Anderson, E McQuillin, C Weir, O Palepoi, Gary Graham, G Lowrie, E Dods. Subs used: P Stewart, C Borthwick, F Hunter, D Marshall, S Cairns, C Dods
Ayr: G Anderson, S Manning, R Curle, M Stewart, C Taylor, R Fergusson, M McConnell, D Mutamangira, S Fenwick, G Sykes, S Sutherland, C White, J Willis, R Colhoun, A Dunlop. Subs used: A Kelly, A Wilson, A McFarlane, H Wisnewski, G Fisken, R Doneghan, S Diez
Referee: J Matthew
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