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News Article |
| STORNOWAY 8 MORAY 12 |
| Wed 22nd Jan 2014 |
Moray made the long journey west to the Isle of Lewis to play Stornoway in a RBS Caledonia League Division 2 North fixture and returned having secured a very good 12-8 victory.
Conditions were good for open rugby with little wind and no rain, however, the pitch was a touch heavy in places but this did not stop Moray’s match plan to attack.
The Elgin side kicked off through stand in fly-half Marc Higgins and immediately Stornoway caught the ball and used their experienced forwards to work the ball up the pitch.
Moray’s younger pack stood firm, were well organised in defence and thwarted the attack. This set the tone for the first 20 minutes and in the end resulted in a single offside penalty to the home side just outside the 22 metre line. The kick just drifted wide of the posts.
The Moray youngsters gained in confidence and started to win ball against the head in the scrum and the lineout was strong and faultless.
With more ball, the backs started to put it through the hands but unfortunately, handling errors meant that the line was not threatened. Towards the end of the half, the home sides big 2nd row made a break down the wing into the Moray 22.
This lead to a series of rucks across the pitch and in the end enthusiastic defence by John Westmacott gave another penalty for coming in from the side. This time the Stornaway fly half made no mistake giving the home team a 3- 0 half time lead.
With the 2nd half underway, Moray worked the ball into midfield. Fly half Higgins kicked the ball over the opposing backs and chased down the home full back, with winger Aled Herbert in support. Under pressure the full back fumbled and Higgins kicked the ball on. Herbert won the race and unselfishly gave the ball to Higgins to score the try.
The conversion was missed leaving the visitors with a 5-3 lead.
The Islanders responded with powerful running by their strong No. 8 who was having a storming match. He made the try line only to be adjudged “held up”.
Moray weathered the storm and with the scrum and lineout still working well, regained control. Higgins found a gap in the home defence and again with Herbert in support, interchanged passes to break towards the try line. This time it was Herberts turn to score. Full back Andrew McBean added the conversion taking the score to 12-3.
Yet again the home forwards pushed the defence back and eventually they crossed the line out wide, however, the subsequent conversion kick was missed.
A galvanised Stornaway started running the ball and their outside centre broke for the line but McBean made a great try saving tackle in the corner.
With the score at 12-8, this could have proved to have been a winning score. Yet again, however, Moray’s impeccable scrum and lineout enabled the visitors to regain the ascendancy and for the last 15 minutes they kept play in the home half until the final whistle.
It was a hard fought but clean game with both sides taking turns to be in control but Moray just about edged it through their superior scrummaging led by the Man of the Match, Lewis Higgins.
Moray return to league action on Saturday with a home game against local rivals RAF Lossiemouth. Kick-off is 2pm.
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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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