PICTURES: Moray Rugby Club clinch Tennent’s Caledonia North Region League Division 2 title in style with ten-try romp against RAF Lossiemouth at Morriston
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A resounding 66-10 victory over local rivals RAF Lossiemouth, secured the Tennent’s Caledonia North Region League Division 2 title for Moray last Saturday.
The RAF side started well and dominated the play in the first 10 minutes of the game scoring an unconverted try for a 0-5 lead.
Slowly the home side came more and more into the game, creating some good chances but not quite getting over the whitewash.
In the 24th minute, the visitors were reduced to 14 men when their full-back tip-tackled Lewis Hay, ending the wing’s game.
Shortly after, the Elgin side took the lead. A scrum-5 was taken against the head, No 8 Neil Alexander picked and drove before offloading to centre Cameron Hughes to score. Full-back Rory Millar added the conversion for 7-5.
In the 34th minute, a second was added. Good continuity play saw the ball reach wing-forward Lewis Small who drove to a ruck, five metres out.
The ball was quickly moved to wing Lewis Scott who barged over for an unconverted try and 12-5 lead.
With the half-time whistle looming, a handling move from inside their own half created the overlap and reached Scott with space to round the defence and score. Millar converted for 19-5.
Moray started the second-half and from the kick-off, second-row David Clarke gathered the ball in the air and set ruck. The ball was moved wide to centre Connor McWilliam who prodded the ball behind the defence and over the goal-line. Millar was quickest to follow up and managed to touch down before the ball went dead for an unconverted bonus point try and 24-5.
In the 49th minute, a scrum win on the half-way was picked up by Alexander and quickly moved to Hughes. He chipped the defence, regathered and then offloaded to the supporting McWilliam to score under the posts. Millar added the extras for 31-5.
The home side were dominant and in a seven-minute spell from the 58th minute, added three more tries.
The first saw quick hands create the space for Scott to drive only to be held up five-metres short. The ball was recycled and moved along the line to hooker Marc Higgins with space to make the line for a try converted by Millar.
Ball was taken off the top at an attacking line five-metres out and moved wide to Hughes. He handed off the defender and made the line for the second try, again converted by Millar.
The third, after a period of continuity play in the visitor’s 22, saw Douglas Ireland side-step past a couple of defenders before reaching out to score a try converted by Millar for 52-5.
Lossie were down but still had plenty of fight and in the 69th minute added a second unconverted try for 52-10.
Moray were playing good open rugby with both forwards and backs getting involved and in the final minutes of the game, added two further tries.
A good handling move down the right side of the field was returned inside to scrum-half Iain Stuart. He went for the line and unselfishly, with one man in his way, slipped the ball to supporting Cameron Morrison-Smith to run in a converted try under the posts.
The final try emanated from an attacking line-out, 20 metres out. The ball was secured, moved wide and Clarke, in support, received the ball and broke through to score. Millar added the conversion, his 8th of the afternoon, for a final score of Moray 66 RAF Lossiemouth 10.
After an edgy start, the whole team stood up to the mark and put together an excellent display of attacking rugby as well as a very sound defensive shift.
The squad have played consistently well all season and thoroughly deserve the league honours.
There is still one final game against Mackie Academy before they are presented with the league trophy and this is at Morriston on Saturday April 15, kick-off 3pm.
