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News Article |
| MORAY 33 HIGHLAND 2ND XV 35 |
| Tue 12th Nov 2019 |
 Highland 2nd XV edged out Moray by 35 points to 33 after a pulsating and highly contested Tennent’s Caledonia North Region League Division 2 North fixture last Saturday at Morriston.
The Inverness side kicked off but it was Moray who applied the early pressure and in the 8th minute took the lead. A forward pass, centre field in the 22 produced an attacking scrum that saw No 8 John Stuart pick and drive through the defence to score under the posts. Full-back Rory Millar added the conversion for a 7-0.
 Four minutes later, Highland levelled the score at 7-7 when, following a penalty decision in the 22, a quick pinpoint cross-kick allowed the full-back to gather and score a converted try.
In the 17th minute, the home side regained the impetus when after some driving play around a ruck, wing-forward Fergus Nicol broke and made 40 metres before being tackled to the ground.
 Scrum-half Gregor Hands was in support and somehow Nicol managed to get the ball into the hands of his teammate and he reached out and scored. Millar added the extras for 14-7
Seven minutes later, Moray lost an attacking line-out in the opposition half and with great pace, the Inverness side moved the ball wide and scored in the corner for 14-14.
 On the half-hour mark, they took the lead at 14-17 when they landed a penalty from just outside the 22.
Three minutes from halftime, Highland extended this lead when simple hands following a scrum in the 22, allowed the full-back to make the line in the tackle for a converted try and 14-24.
 On the stroke of half-time, the Elgin side responded. Ball was turned over in their own half and wing forward Ross Joy broke. When he was halted, he offloaded to prop Mark Taylor who offloaded to wing Lachlan Jones in the tackle and he made the line for an unconverted try and half-time score of 19-24.
Moray started the second half brightly and in the 45th minute regained the lead.
 Several phases of good driving and offloading play took then into the opposition 22 to a driving maul.
Hooker and captain Marc Higgins broke round the side and with some support from second-row Steven Clark, made the line. Millar added the conversion for 26-24.
The game was end to end with both sides intent on attacking and in the 56th minute, the Inverness side took the lead again at 26-27 when they landed a second penalty when Moray went over the top at a ruck.
 On the 22nd minute mark, Millar had an opportunity to get his side in front again but unfortunately pushed his kick wide of the upright.
A scrum penalty in the 69th minute allowed the Highland stand-off to maintain a perfect kicking record and move the lead out to 26-30.
The Elgin side returned to the offensive and in the 74th minute were back threatening the goal-line.
An inaccurate line, 6 metres out, allowed the Inverness side to turn the ball over but when the ball was only half cleared, Moray gathered and stand-off Jamie Hickey prodded the ball forward.
 A defence boot connected with the ball but it rebounded into the arms of Marc Higgins who spotted a gap and made the line. Millar added the conversion for the lead at 33-30.
In the final moments of the game, Highland were awarded a penalty for a high tackle.
A kick took them to an attacking line, 5 metres out. Clean ball was taken which set up a number of drives for the line.
The home defence stood strong but the ball was moved wide and the full-back found enough room to squeeze in at the corner for an unconverted try to win the game at 33-35.
It had been a ding-dong battle between the two sides and a game that Moray would feel a bit disappointed they had not won.
They had scored 5 tries to Highland’s 4 but had unfortunately leaked 3 penalties which were all landed by a stand-off who had kicked well all afternoon. T
hey had, however, gained 2 points, a try bonus point and a losing bonus point. There were a lot of positives in the Moray display, in particular strong direct running and support play by both forwards and backs.
There is no fixture this Saturday but following Saturday (23rd November) they are away to Aberdeen Grammar School FP 2nd XV.
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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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