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News Article |
| MORAY 38 ROSS SUTHERLAND 27 |
| Wed 12th Sep 2012 |
 Moray defeated Ross Sutherland by 38 points to 27 last Saturday, in their first home game of the 2012-2013 RBS Caledonia Regional Division 2 North league season.
Having lost out narrowly away to Aberdeen University last week, the team were keen to get back on track.
The Invergordon side kicked off and were the more dominant in the opening phases of the game and after 7 minutes they took a 0-3 lead when they kicked a penalty, after Moray were caught lying on the wrong side of a ruck.
Slowly the home side started to make their mark on the match and in the 20th minute they levelled the score at 3-3 when full-back Andrew McBean landed a penalty after an offside decision.
Five minutes later, McBean converted another penalty from 30 metres out, for a 6-3 lead, when the visitors were again caught offside at the break down.
The Elgin side were now fully in the game and in the 27th minute, they extended their lead. The try did not come from a planned move but as a result of a break down in a Ross attack. The ball was dropped and wing Ewan Simpson quickly nipped in, picked up the loose ball and sprinted to the line for the score out wide. McBean’s conversion missed narrowly to leave the score 11-3.
 Five minutes later, the Invergordon side responded after an individual effort by their full-back. His mazy run started in his own half and saw him leave several Moray players in his wake before he finally offloaded allowing the try to be scored. The conversion points were added to reduce the lead to 11-10.
In the 38th minute, McBean added a third penalty to extend the lead to 4 points at 14-10.
The lead was short lived and in the final play of the half, Ross took the lead. From the kick off they regained the ball and a forceful series of forward rumbles took them to and then over the home line. The conversion attempt was pulled wide leaving the half time score Moray 14 Ross Sutherland 15.
In the 46th minute, McBean added to his tally with a 4th penalty to regain the lead at 17-15 when the visitors were caught offside in their 22.
Moray extended their lead in the 55th minute. With the Invergordon side pressing hard inside the opposition 22, Moray turned over the ball and then hoisted it high into midfield. The Ross full-back could not get under the ball which hit the ground and wickedly bounced away from him. Scrum-half Aled Herbert was following up and he managed to collect the ball and race towards the line from around 40 metres for the score. McBean converted for 24-15.
The home side were winning the share of ball and taking the game to the opponents. In the 65th they extended the lead further. An attacking move took them to 5 metres from the line but Ross secured the ball and tried to set up ruck. The ball squirted out of the back of the ruck and wing-forward Marc Higgins was quick to react and in a single movement picked up and scored. McBean added the conversion points for 31-15.
With only 5 minutes to go it seemed an unassailable lead but the referee was to add a good 10 minutes or more for 2nd half injuries.
In this time, three further tries were scored, two by Ross and one by the home side.
The Invergordon side firstly reduced the lead to 31-20 after they scored an unconverted try after a quick tap penalty in the Moray half.
 The Elgin side retorted from the kick off when they ripped the ball clear of a maul and then popped to replacement Jason Stanley who came at pace and broke through the defence to score the bonus point winning try under the posts. Centre Tony McLoughlin added the conversion points for 38-20.
In the final minutes of the match, Ross scored their fourth and bonus point try under the posts from broken play in the middle of the park. The conversion was added leaving the final score Moray 38 Ross Sutherland 27.
It had been a very good contest on a good but hot afternoon for playing rugby. After a slow start, Moray got into the game and worked hard to gain the victory. Marc Higgins was voted Moray ‘Man of the Match’ for his outstanding display in the loose.
This Saturday Moray make the trip to Inverness to play Highland Reds in the league.
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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 |
|
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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