Moray 60 Mackie 21: Comprehensive victory for hosts at Morriston
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A VERY good performance by Moray saw them comprehensively defeat Mackie 60-21 in their latest Caledonia League Division 1 fixture at Morriston on Saturday.
An early drive for the line was halted but the visitors were pinged for over the top at the ruck and full-back Rory Millar landed the kick for a 3-0 lead.
The Elgin side continued to apply pressure but it was not until the 17th minute that they extended their lead.
Moray took ball against the head in the 22 and drove to a ruck. The ball was moved to stand-off Cameron Hughes who put in a cross kick. Millar rose and gathered the ball and, in the tackle, offloaded to wing Ewan Simpson to run in an unconverted try for 8-0.
Moray were dominating up front and playing some good open rugby. In the 23rd minute, a break from Simpson took them to the 22. The forwards drove round the edge of the ruck before the ball was moved quickly through hands for Millar to score out wide. He converted his try for 15-0.
Four minutes later, ball from an attacking line-out, five metres out, was moved wide and Millar came into the line at a great angle to split the defence and score. He converted his second try for 22-0.
In the 31st minute, Moray scored their fourth and the bonus point try. Following two big drives by the forwards up the middle of the pitch, the ball was moved quickly through hands to Simpson who in contact offloaded back inside to scrum-half Iain Stuart to make the line. Millar added the extras for a half-time score of 29-0.
Mackie started the second half brightly and scored a converted try after a period of pressure in the 22, reducing the lead to 29-7.
This stirred Moray back into action and, in the 60th minute, after a couple of squandered opportunities, wing Lewis Scott was put into space to score an unconverted try out wide for 34-7.
Two minutes later, following a solid scrum on half-way, Scott received the ball down the blindside and beat a couple of defenders to score. Millar converted for 41-7.
In the 69th minute, an initial break by Millar was moved through hands to stand-off Cameron Hughes and he took the gap to score under the posts. Millar added the extras for 48-7.
Four minutes later, after a break for the line by number eight Neil Alexander, the ball was moved from the breakdown and although wing-forward Lewis Small was stopped short, he managed to reach out to the line. Millar converted for 53-7.
The Stonehaven side immediately replied with a converted try for 53-14.
Three minutes from time, Moray scored their final try of the afternoon. Another good line by Millar in attack saw him break the defensive line and score a try which he converted for 60-14.
In the last play of the match, Mackie scored a third converted try for a final score of 60-21.
Moray have no fixture this weekend but travel to fourth-placed Ellon the week after.
