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News Article |
| DYCE 7 MORAY 2ND XV 57 |
| Thu 17th Jan 2019 |
 Caledonia League fixtures returned last Saturday with Moray 2nd XV away to Dyce where they secured a convincing 7-57 victory.
Early Moray pressure was held out by resolute home defence. 3 mins in but in the 8th minute, the visitors took the lead. A powerful scrum, 10 metres out, was driven over the line with No 8 David Clarke getting the touchdown, converted by stand-off Rory Millar for 0-7.
 In the 17th minute, the Elgin scored a copycat try, this time with scrum-half Gregor Hands touching down and Millar converting for 0-14.
A score looked on the cards again in the 25th minute when ball through hands from the scrum reached winger Lewis Scott who rounded defence but unfortunately put a foot in touch before he could touch down.
 He was not to be denied though and, on the half-hour, more Moray pressure forced a clearance kick from deep which found the winger, 25 metres out. Once again, he made good ground and although initially thwarted by stout home defence, a kind bounce of the ball allowed him to romp in at the right corner. Millar converted for 0-21.
Moray were in complete control and 6 minutes later, from a penalty in front of the posts, the ball was spun wide to back-row Ian Austin who went over at the corner for the bonus point try. Millar landed the difficult kick for 0-28.
 In the final seconds of the first half, ball through hands from half way line saw centre Marc Higgins force his way over in the left corner. Millar could not add the extras leaving the half-time score at 0-33.
Dyce started the second half brightly and a neat lineout move on half way saw them put the visitors under pressure but scrambling defence snuffed out the threat.
 5 minutes into the half, Moray regained control through the forwards and the ball was shipped through the hands across the park, first right then left where prop Mark Taylor gathered the ball and weaved his way through the defence to score. Millar landed the conversion for 0-40
The hosts heads never dropped and in the 53rd minute, they were finally rewarded for their graft. A surge down the centre of the pitch saw them cut through their opponent’s defence. Although initially thwarted, they kept driving forward and camped on the goal-line. After several charges, they finally forced their way over near the posts, a try which was converted for 7-40.
 Energised by this, the home side came again but Marc Higgins ripped the ball free, broke away, kicked over the defence and the ball sat up nicely for Austin to score his 2nd near the posts. Millar added the extras for 7-47.
Moving towards the final 10 minutes, Moray had weathered any home fight back, had complete control again and Higgins was at the centre of everything. He made a long opportunistic break up the right-hand touchline then fed inside. A number of driving phases ensued but it was Higgins himself who finished off the move that he started when he scored an unconverted try for 5-52.
 Two minutes from time, the Elgin side rounded off a good afternoon when a controlled drive from a scrum, 25 metres out, tied up the defence allowing Clarke to score his 2nd after a clever bit of interplay. The conversion was missed leaving the final score at 7-57
This was a good all-round display by the Moray side. They were strong in the scrummage, controlled the game really well and were clinical in attack. Dyce stuck manfully to the task and tackled strongly throughout.
 This Saturday, Moray 2nds are again on league business away to Inverness Craig Dunain. There is no fixture for Moray 1st XV this weekend.
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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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