Mackie 31 Moray 38
(Thanks to Jimmy Officer for the photos)

Moray dug deep last Saturday to record a 38 points to 31 win against Mackie in a hard fought Caledonia League Division 1 encounter at Stonehaven last weekend.

The Elgin side started brightly and immediately pressed for a score only to knock on just short of the line. From the resultant scrum, Mackie moved the ball wide to their wing who outstripped the defence to score a converted try for a 7-0 lead.
The Stonehaven side continued to press and in the 17th minute added a penalty for 10-0.
Eight minutes later, it was 15-0 when the left wing scored a similar but unconverted try.

In the 27th minute, Moray replied with their first try of the afternoon. A high kick was fielded by full-back Rory Millar who ran at the defence, up the right wing where a ruck was set. The ball was moved wide and a good hands interchange created the space for wing Lewis Scott to make the line. Millar landed the extras for 15-7.
Five minutes later, the home team landed a penalty for 18-7.

In the 38th minute, the visitors reduced the lead. A penalty took them to an attacking line-out, 5 metres out. Clean ball was taken and after a couple of drives for the line, the ball was moved to stand-off Cameron Hughes who handed-off a second-row and scored under the posts. Millar added the conversion for a half-time score of 18-14.

Six minutes into the second half, the Elgin side took the lead. After a period of pressure in the home half, they were awarded a scrum mid-field. Ball was moved wide through hands and Millar invited the tackle before offloading to wing Ewan Simpson to score. Millar added the extras for 18-21.

In the 57th minute, Mackie retook the lead. In an attack on the visitor’s 22, they looked to have knocked-on and in the surrounding kerfuffle, the inside centre picked up and ran in the try, given by the referee and for a 25-21 lead.

Two minutes later, Moray got themselves in front. From an attacking scrum 5, No 8 Neil Alexander picked up, went blind and had the strength and guile to make the line for a try converted by Millar for 25-28.

In the 56th minute, it was 28-28 after a penalty was awarded in the visitor’s 22.

Five minutes later, the Elgin side were penalised for holding in a ruck and the kick was slotted for Mackie to regain the lead at 31-28.
Moray pressed to get back in front and in the 75th minute were awarded a penalty on the home 22. Millar calmly slotted the kick to square the game at 31-31.

In the 79th minute, Hughes made a break from inside his own half before offloading to Simpson who took play to a ruck around the 22. Ball was moved quickly blind through hands to Scott who barged through the last defenders to score out wide. Millar landed the difficult kick.
Although the game restarted, Moray held on to record a 38-31 win.

It had been a very close and hard-fought encounter between two committed teams. The result could have gone either way but the Moray grit and determination once again came good. This Saturday, Moray 1st XV are at home and play Ellon in the league. Kick-off is 3pm.