THIS weekend saw another exciting card of rugby union fixtures played across Ayrshire.

The biggest match of them all took place in the top league, the National Premiership - where the county's biggest sides met.

Marr RFC met Ayr RFC on Saturday, October 12, with the sides heading into the game having had very different starts to the season.

While Ayr are yet to taste defeat, Marr find themselves battling at the lower end of the table thus far.

And both sides stayed true to form with Ayr picking up their seventh bonus point win of the season with a stunning 40-7 victory in Troon.

Further down the leagues, in National Division Three, Garnock RFC's title challenge took a hit against one of their nearest competitors.

The Lochshore side fell to a 34-19 defeat away to Hillhead Jordanhill RFC on Saturday and fell to fourth place following the result. Their opponents assumed second position following the win.

In National Division Four, Ardrossan Accies continued their dominant start to the season.

Andrew Duncan's side faced their toughest challenge of the campaign on Saturday as they travelled to face Hamilton Bulls.

In what was their tightest match of the season, the Accies ran out 20-14 winners to pick up their sixth win from six matches so far this season - which sees them top the table.

Into the regional leagues and in West Division One, it is still Kilmarnock RFC who lead the way.

They also hold a perfect record in this campaign and made it seven from seven with a 38-0 bonus point win over Oban Lorne keeping the East Ayrshire side in top spot.

It was also a good weekend for Cumnock after a challenging start to this campaign.

They rose up the standings this weekend with a dominant 43-10 victory over bottom placed side Bishopton.

In West Division Two, newly promoted Irvine RFC pushed themselves away from relegation trouble with a strong 30-17 win away at bottom side Clydebank.

The result puts the Marress outfit 13 points clear of their opponents, and just six points away from the top half of the table.

It was a big weekend for Carrick RFC and their hopes of a title charge, as the second place side met league leaders Strathendrick.

However, it was their opponents who kept their perfect record and pulled away in top spot following a narrow 28-24 win in Maybole.

In women's rugby, it was a great weekend for Ayr RFC in West Division One as they got their first win of the season.

The South Ayrshire side were dominant as they battled to a 41-19 victory over Oban Lorne, as Ayr remain in bottom place although they are just four points behind their weekend opponents.

In West Division Two, it was a tough weekend for Irvine RFC who faced a 50-12 loss as they travelled to face Hamilton Rugby Club.

Despite the result, Irvine remain in the middle of the pack in the league standings.

And in West Division Three, it was a great weekend for Marr RFC who picked up a superb 46-32 win away at East Kilbride RFC.

The victory puts the Troon side at the top of the table, two points clear of second place.

Full league tables, fixtures and results are available online at fixtures.scottishrugby.org/club-rugby.