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WATCH: Moray Rugby Club reach National Shield final at Murrayfield rugby complex after thrilling comeback from 24 points behind to defeat Linlithgow thanks to Rory Millar’s last-gasp penalty


By Craig Christie

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Moray Rugby Club produced another thrilling comeback to reach the final of the National Shield on Saturday.

Action from a pulsating Morriston encounter between Moray and Linlithgow.
Action from a pulsating Morriston encounter between Moray and Linlithgow.

Trailing 29-5 to unbeaten East League winners Linlithgow at Morriston, the Elgin side produced a thrilling response to win it with Rory Millar’s last-gasp penalty kick for a 39-37 triumph - watch the best of the action below.

Moray will now play Cumnock in the final at Edinburgh Rugby Club’s ‘The Hive’ stadium within the Murrayfield campus in two weeks time.

Cumnock won 29-28 at Broughton in the other semi-final.

Moray found themselves 17-0 down after a whirlwind start from the visitors.

Connor McWilliam’s try got the home side on the scoreboard but Linlithgow kept pressing and two more tries gave them a 24-point advantage with half time fast approaching.

Rory Millar and player coach Cameron Hughes both went over the away team’s line, with Linlithgow scoring a penalty to make the half time score 32-17 in the visitors’ favour.

Rory Millar lined up a kick for Moray.
Rory Millar lined up a kick for Moray.

The second half belonged to Moray, with no.8 Neil Alexander scoring a try under the posts and replacement Kris Morrison also crossing the line, and two Millar conversions took the gap back to a single point.

Linlithgow almost immediately scored their fifth try to go 37-31 in front, and Moray needed a big finish.

Moments from the end, captain Lewis Scott bustled over for a try but Millar’s couldn’t convert from a difficult angle, so the home side still trailed by a point.

But when they were awarded a penalty in the centre of the field, Millar thrilled a big home crowd by holding his nerve to send the kick sailing between the posts and seal a famous Moray victory.

The moment that mattered - Rory Millar lines up the late penalty which sent Moray into the National Shield final.
The moment that mattered - Rory Millar lines up the late penalty which sent Moray into the National Shield final.


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