Moray Rugby Club dig deep to draw with hosts Dunfermline in National League Division 4 clash
Moray’s latest National League Division 4 fixture saw them draw 11-11 away to Dunfermline in a very close encounter that could have gone either way.
In the sixth minute, the home side conceded a penalty after a neck roll, 35 metres out. Full-back Connor McWilliam stepped up but his kick drifted narrowly past the upright.
The game ebbed and flowed for most of the first half and although there was a lot of good rugby on display, both defences were working well and snuffed out scoring opportunities.
In the final minute of the half, Moray conceded a penalty for not releasing at a ruck, 25 metres out. The home stand-off stepped up and landed the kick for a 3-0 half time lead.
The second half started in a similar way with dominant defence but in the 57th minute, the visitors were given a penalty after a high tackle, 25 metres out. Stand-off Douglas Ireland kicked the points to level the score at 3-3.
Two minutes later, the Elgin side conceded a penalty on the 22 allowing the Fife side to regain the lead at 6-3.
Moray responded in the 63rd minute with a well worked try. Play progressed to an attacking scrum, 15 metres out. The scrum, which had been the dominant, was taken and the ball moved to midfield to centre Ben Taylor who drove into the defence. Quick ruck ball was moved wide left and wing Lewis Hay did well to brush off tackles to score an unconverted try out wide for 6-8.
The Elgin side seemed to be in the ascendancy but it was the home side who scored next in the 71st minute. A drive for the line saw them held up over the line and a goal-line drop out awarded. The drop-kick unfortunately drifted directly into touch giving an attacking scrum 5. Although there was huge scrummage pressure, the ball was secured and driven a couple of times to tie in the defence before being moved wide allowing their wing to score an unconverted try out wide to retake the lead at 11-8.
Moray returned to the offensive and four minutes from time, were awarded a penalty, 25 metres out, in front of the posts. Ireland stepped up and landed the kick to tie the score at 11-11.
In injury time, the visitors conceded a penalty, 30 metres out but the Dunfermline stand-off pulled the kick to leave the final score at 11-11.
It had been a tough and very well-matched encounter with excellent defensive displays by both teams and even though the result could have gone either way, a draw was a fair result with each side gaining 2 points.
This Saturday, Moray 1sts are again on road for their longest trip of the season when they play Stewartry in Castle Douglas. Moray 2nds are also away and play Orkney in Kirkwall.
