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News Article |
| ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY MEDICS 14 MORAY 1ST XV 66 |
| Tue 3rd Oct 2017 |
 Moray 1st XV resoundingly defeated Aberdeen University Medics by 66 points to 14, in Aberdeen last weekend, in their latest BT Caledonia League Division 2 North fixture.
The Elgin side kicked off, immediately took the game to the varsity side and in the 4th minute took the lead. The home side was handed a scrum, 10 metres from the line, after a squint line-out throw. The Moray pack, however, drove them backwards, securing the turn-over. As the line approached, No 8 David Clarke picked up and burst over the line for an unconverted try and a 0-5 lead.
In the 12th minute, they extended the lead. Strong scrummaging yielded a penalty which was kicked to touch, 10 metres out. A long throw was popped back inside to wing-forward Marc Higgins on the charge. A couple of drives later, the ball was spun wide and wing Lewis Scott beat his man and run the ball in for a try under the posts. Wing Andrew McBean added the conversion points for 0-12.
Six minutes later, a break down the blind side by scrum-half Jonny Haslam produced the third try. He passed the ball wide to McBean who returned it inside to 2nd row John Westmacott who made it over the line for an unconverted try and 0-17.
 In the 25th minute, the Medics were caught inside their 22 and held up in the maul producing an attacking scrum, 12 metres out. The visitors scrum drove their opposition back over the line and David Clarke picked up and scored his 2nd and the bonus point try. McBean added the conversion points for 0-24.
The Aberdeen side had seen very little ball but in the 33rd minute they secured ball in their 22 and put together a passing passage of play which saw them score a fine converted try, reducing the lead to 7-24.
Within four minutes, Moray had added another when on another driving visit into the 22, prop Nathan Gilmore received a pop pass and burst through the defence to score an unconverted try for 7-29.
From the restart, the ball was collected and an offloading move down the blind side started. This took play back into the home half where the ball was collected by Marc Higgins. He took the ball to a ruck in the 22 where it was quickly moved wide to Scott who scored his second try of the match. Stand-off Chris Clarke converted for 7-36.
On the stroke of half-time, the Elgin side scored probably their best try of the afternoon. Strong running took play into the opposition half to a ruck. The ball was moved firstly left through several hands to the wing where it was again set. Quickly the ball was moved right through good hands to allow Marc Higgins to score an unconverted try in the corner and a 7-41 half-time score-line.
 Two minutes into the second-half, McBean got his name on the scoresheet. Another Medics scrum was taken against the head and after David Clarke picked and drove, he offloaded to the wing who beat his man and scored an unconverted try for 7-46.
The University could not handle the power of Moray in the tight and in the 53rd minute, the scrum drove over the line again, this time allowing replacement scrum-half Callum Watson to dot down an unconverted try for 7-51.
The scrum was the root of the next score, eight minutes later, when David Clarke picked and drove before releasing the ball to Chris Clarke to score an unconverted try, taking the lead to 7-56.
In the 65th minute, Chris Clarke added his second when after some good driving phases of play, he took a good line and sliced through the defence to score an unconverted try for 7-61.
 The Medics heads never went down and in the 75th minute, they scored another good converted try from their own half to make it 14-61.
In the 78th minute and to complete the scoring of the afternoon, hooker and Captain Lewis Higgins scored an unconverted try when a driving maul from 15 metres out took them over the line.
Final score Aberdeen University Medics 14 Moray 1st XV 66.
It had been a comprehensive and worthy victory for Moray over a Medics side who with ball in hand suggested they were very dangerous. The Elgin pack, however, won every encounter of the afternoon in an impeccable display of scrummaging, limiting the opposition ball to play with. This along with the strong direct running of the backs and good handling skills all round, allowed a haul of twelve tries to be scored.
This Saturday, Moray 1st XV are at home where they welcome Highland 2nds for a league encounter. Kick-off is 3pm.
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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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