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News Article |
| MORAY 78 STORNOWAY 0 |
| Tue 25th Jan 2011 |
 Moray convincingly beat Stornoway by 78 points to nil in a Caledonia League Divison 2 (North West) fixture last Saturday at Morriston Playing Fields, a game which they dominated from kick-off to final whistle.
The visitors kicked off but the Elgin side immediately took the ball back into the opposing 22 where they were given a penalty for offside at the ruck. A quick tap was taken and the ball moved left. A couple of driving phases later, second-row Calum Purcell broke, drove over the line and scored. Centre Andrew McBean’s converted from the touchline for a 7-0 lead.
From the restart, No 8 Stuart Harrington took the ball and charged at the defence. A couple of offloads later, full-back Ryan Anderson found himself in space and he stepped inside his opposite number to score under the posts. McBean landed the kick to take the lead to 14-0.
It had been a blistering start from the home side and they had shown their intent to run the ball at every opportunity.
 In the 14th minute, they extended the lead further. A penalty was awarded on the halfway for offside and the ball was kicked to touch, 20 metres out. Clean ball was taken, driven to a ruckand then moved though hands to wing Ewan Simpson, who scored out wide. McBean’s conversion attempt brushed past the side of the post leaving the score 19-0.
Stornoway were finding it difficult to get out of their own half and in the 22nd minute, Moray scored their fourth and bonus point winning try. The forwards turned over ball, 15 metres out, and it was then moved blind through hands to Anderson who beat three defenders to score. McBean converted for 26-0.
Three minutes later Harrington got his name on the score sheet after he took a quick penalty 25 metres out and bulldozed his way to the line. McBean’s attempt came up short leaving the score 31-0.
The visitors rallied in the latter part of the half and had their best spell of the match but the Elgin defence stood firm leaving the halftime score Moray 31 Stornoway 0.
 Ten minutes into the second half, Moray extended their lead. After a period of pressure in the 22, the visitors turned over ball and cleared. The ball didn’t go dead however and a blind side passing move was finished off byMcBean who had moved to the wing. He narrowly missed converting his own try leaving the score 36-0.
Two quick-fire tries around the 55th minute moved the home side out to a 50-0 lead.
The first was scored by replacement wing Steven Cruickshank after he ran round the opposing full-back to score in the corner. McBean landed a superb conversion from the touchline.
The second saw Anderson score his third try of the afternoon when he outstripped the defence after a surging break by Harrington. McBean again landed the kick.
Hooker Dan Thomas got his name on the score sheet in the 61st minute after a blind side was quickly moved to the open and he took crash ball to score under the posts, a try that McBean converted for 57-0.
 In the 70th minute, Moray scored from a move try that started on their 22. Replacement centre Phil Abbott broke in the midfield, fed stand-off Craig Forster who in turn fed centre and captain Marc Higgins who had the pace to make the line. McBean converted for 64-0.
In the final minutes of the game, the home side added two further tries.
Rob Jolly scored the first after Forster made a break into the 22 and put the wing-forward into the gap to score under the posts.
 With the referee indicating that it was the last play of the match and with Stornoway, to their credit, still trying to put points on the board, Abbott intercepted on his 22 and ran three quarters the length of the park to score under the posts. McBean landed both conversions taking his tally to 23 points and leaving the final score Moray 78 Stornoway 0.
The crowd at the side of the pitch had witnessed a good all round display by the Elgin side and had seen 12 tries scored. Scrum and lineout was solid but it was in the loose that they had dominated with both forwards and backs contributing to good open rugby. The choice of Man of the Match was difficult as all had done well but second-row John Westmacott was given the accolade for a good stint in defence as well as getting round the park.
This Saturday Moray are again on League business when they travel to Kingussie to play Strathspey.
More images from this match can be found in the Gallery
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Caledonia 2 North |
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| Aberdeenshire |
12 |
46 |
| Highland 2nd XV |
11 |
46 |
| Moray |
12 |
40 |
| Ross Sutherland |
10 |
22 |
| Banff |
12 |
19 |
| Mackie |
10 |
10 |
| Aberdeen Grammar 2nd XV |
9 |
1 |
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Last 1st XV Game |
| 1st XV Season (2021/22) |
| Banff 33 - 39 Moray |
| 5th Mar 22 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Duff House |
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