Moray Rugby Club edge out Whitecraigs in 13-try national division 4 thriller at Morriston playing fields
Moray Rugby Club won a closely-fought National 4 league encounter against Whitecraigs on Saturday in a 13-try tussle at Morriston.
The Glasgow based side kicked-off and pressed in the early period of the match but it was Moray who opened the scoring in the 10th minute.
A visitors’ goal-line drop-out was fielded and ran back. Following a couple of drives for the line, the ball was moved wide to wing Lewis Hay who stepped inside and made the line out wide for an unconverted try and 5-0.
Seven minutes later, Whitecraigs replied with a converted try for 5-7.
In the 23rd minute, the home side regained the lead. Some good driving and continuity play took them deep into the 22. Centre Ben Taylor was tackled just short but centre Cameron Hughes was supporting and picked up and made the line in the corner for an unconverted try and 10-7.
A purple patch, in a seven-minute spell around the half hour mark, saw the visitors take a good lead at 10-22 when they added two tries, one converted and a penalty.
The Elgin side responded in the 36th minute. A high tackle in the 22, saw prop Mark Taylor charge and set ruck. The ball was then moved away and wing-forward Neil Alexander took the ball and barged his way through a couple of tackles to score. Full-back Kieran Jenkins converted for 17-22.
In the final minute of the half, a quick tap penalty in the 22 was taken and moved wide to Jenkins who stepped inside and had the strength to make the line for the bonus point try. He converted this for a half-time score of 24-22.
Four minutes into the second half, Moray moved further ahead. A penalty in the visiting 22 was driven and set on a couple of occasions before the ball was moved away from the break-down to wing-forward Lewis Small who burst through tackles and made the line for an unconverted try and 29-22.
In the 48th minute, the Glasgow side narrowed the lead to two points when they scored their bonus point try.
It was end to end stuff but it was the visitors who regained the lead in the 61st minute when they scored a converted try out wide for 29-34.
Five minutes later, a good break by wing Euan Willetts took the home side deep into the 22 and to a penalty. The ball was tapped, run and when halted, set. The ball was moved quickly to Taylor who went for the line only to be stopped by a last gasp tackle. He heard the shouts of supporting Hughes and popped the ball up to allow the centre to score his second try of the afternoon. Jenkins converted for a 36-24 lead.
In the 69th minute, the home side progressed to an attacking scrum, 25 metres out. Clean ball was taken and scrum-half Cameron Ireland broke blind before releasing the ball to Jenkins who stepped inside the defence and scored his second of the afternoon. He converted for 43-34.
In the final minutes of the contest, Whitecraigs pushed into the home 22 and after several drives scored a final try out wide. The conversion kick was missed and the game finished at 43-39.
The sizeable crowd of spectators had been treated to an excellent game of rugby with both teams intent on playing a fast and open brand of rugby and they should be commended for this.
This Saturday Moray 1sts are away on league business to Hamilton Bulls who are on the same points tally.