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News Article |
| HUNTLY 0 MORAY 56 |
| Fri 23rd Sep 2016 |
 Moray breezed past Huntly by 56 points to nil last Saturday to secure their place in the next round of the Caledonia Regional Bowl North.
The Elgin side kicked off and with only 3 minutes on the clock, opened the scoring. A kick through was fielded by full-back Andrew McBean and he ran at the opposition only to be halted 25 metres out. The ball was moved wide and centre Harvey Freeman took the pass, handed off a couple of defenders and scored. McBean added the conversion points for a 0-7 lead.
Even at this early stage, it was evident that the visitors had the upper hand in the scrum but this was nullified after 20 minutes following an injury to the Huntly tight head prop which meant that, for the remainder of the game, scrums took place unopposed.
Moray continued to press but on a couple of occasions with the try line beckoning, they knocked on.
In the 22nd minute, the lead was doubled. A scrum in the home 22 was cleared but did not make touch. McBean gathered, again ran at the opposition and this time he made it to a ruck, 10 metres out. Scrum-half Callum Watson picked up and darted round the side to score with. McBean adding the extras for 0-14.
The Elgin side continued to press but it was becoming the afternoon of the 'knock-ons' as firstly back-row Marc Higgins dropped the ball in the act of scoring and secondly prop Marco Taylor knocked on with the line at his mercy.
In the 37th minute, however, they added a third try. The same pattern as the first two ensued when McBean gathered ball in his own half and set off at the defence. This time and a couple of offloads later it reached wing Connor McWilliam in space and he made the line for a try, converted by McBean, for a 0-21 lead.
 From the restart, the ball was taken up the middle of the pitch via a couple of driving phases before being moved wide to centre Ben Roberts who scored. McBean added the conversion points, the final points of the first half to leave the score Huntly 0 Moray 28.
The Elgin side started the second half as they finished the first by pressing in the opposition 22.
In the 50th minute, they moved further ahead. Play progressed to an attacking line-out on the 22. Clean ball was secured and driven to a ruck, 5 metres out. The ball was moved quickly to stand-off Frankie Du Toit and he put Freeman into a gap to score his second under the posts. McWilliam added the conversion points for 0-35.
Two minutes later, hooker Lewis Higgins made a break up the middle of the park and into the 22. He was aware of Du Toit on his right shoulder and at the right moment slipped the ball to the stand-off to score under the posts. McWilliam converted for 0-42.
In the 58th minute, 'man of the match' Lewis Higgins scored. A Huntly line-out, 10 metres from their line, was taken against the throw and a driving maul set. The hooker had the ball at the back of the maul and as it broke up, a gap to the line opened up which he took to score a try converted by McWilliam for 0-49.
Huntly were down but not out and launched an attack on the visitor's line in order to get at least a consolation score. They made several breaches for the line with their forwards but the Elgin side defended manfully and held them out, eventually securing a penalty. A quick cross field penalty kick reached replacement full-back Keiran Young who secured the ball and took it to a ruck on the Huntly 22 metre line. Du Toit was on hand again and picked up with a clear run in for his second try of the afternoon. McWilliam added the final points of the afternoon leaving Moray as comfortable winners by 56 points to nil.
Huntly Rugby Club has recently reformed after 4 years in the wilderness and it is good to see them back playing at Market Muir.
The win was never in doubt for the Moray side but they did make it harder for themselves with the number of unenforced knock-ons in good scoring positions. The fact that three-quarters of the game was played with unopposed scrums also did not help as the scrummage has been immense so far this season and a great platform for attacking play.
This Saturday, 2nd place Moray are back on BT Caledonia League Division 2 North (West) business and play 3rd place Highland 2nds at Morriston. Kick off is at the earlier time of 1pm.
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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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