Moray Rugby Club get ready for National Division 4 season with victory over Ross Sutherland in Invergordon
Moray Rugby Club warmed up for their national league season with victory in a memorial match played at Invergordon.
The Elgin side took on Ross Sutherland in a tribute match remembering two home players Daniel Rafferty and David Mackay who lost their lives in tragic circumstances.
Moray won the match 54-24 with the Daniel Rafferty Memorial Trophy being presented to Moray captain Hugh MacRae.
The visitors started brightly but it was the home side who opened the scoring in the 10th minute when they scored a converted try for 7-0 after breaching into the 22.
Three minutes later, Moray narrowed the gap to two points when, after a line-out 5, second-row MacRae broke down the blindside to score an unconverted try.
In the 18th minute, they took the lead. Ball was taken at an opposition line on their 22 before hooker Sam Fletcher-Harrison made good ground through the middle to a ruck. Ball was moved swiftly wide and wing Lewis Hay had enough room to evade the defence and score under the posts. Full-back Rory Millar added the extra points.
An attack in the 27th minute saw good hands create the space for Millar to score a try which he converted for a 19-7 lead for the away team.
In the final three minutes of the half, Moray added two further tries. The first was scored when a delayed pass by centre Cameron Hughes put Millar into the gap for his second. The second was scored when after stretching the defence to the right then the left, Hughes this time put Hay into the gap for his second. Millar converted both.
The home team reduced the Moray lead to 33-12 just after half-time when they intercepted to score a converted try under the posts.
In the 52nd minute, Moray scored again when a line, five metres out, was taken and driven to a ruck. Ball was moved wide and Millar came into the line at a good angle to score his third try, which he converted.
Eight minutes later, a break by wing-forward Finnley Cameron from his 22, took him to a ruck in the opposition 22 where Ross infringed. A scrum was taken and the ball moved wide and again Millar entered the line and broke the defence to score his fourth of the afternoon, and a conversion for 47-12.
In the 65th minute, Moray scored their last try of the match. A line was taken in the 22 and driven. The forwards continued with some good handling interplay and when the ball reached wing-forward Adam Ball, he barged his way past a number of defenders to score. Millar added the conversion.
The final 15 minutes of the game belonged to Ross and they added two tries, one converted.
It had been a good start to the pre-season and there were a lot of positives to take from the game. This Saturday, Moray are away to Garioch for another pre-season match.
Moray are still looking for players at all levels but particularly women and under-15/16 players and are looking for coaches at all levels but particularly at girls and U15/16 level. Contact Moray Rugby Club through their social media pages for more details.
