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Moray Rugby Club’s second XV prove too strong for short-numbered Inverness Craig Dunain side in Arnold Clark Caledonia North Highlands and Conference clash





Moray Rugby Club’s second string ran out comfortable winners in their latest Arnold Clark Caledonia North Highlands and Islands Conference clash.

A strong all-round display, against a shorthanded Inverness Craig Dunain team secured victory at Morriston in blustery conditions which made it difficult for goalkicking, otherwise the points tally of eight tries to one would have been even greater.

Joshua Stafford-Smith breaks tackle. Picture: John MacGregor
Joshua Stafford-Smith breaks tackle. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean takes on two defenders. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean takes on two defenders. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean breaks. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean breaks. Picture: John MacGregor
Callum Watson offloads to Liam Findlay. Picture: John MacGregor
Callum Watson offloads to Liam Findlay. Picture: John MacGregor
Ryan Anderson looks to offload in tackle with Lewis Hogg and Joshua Stafford-Smith arriving alongside him. Picture: John MacGregor
Ryan Anderson looks to offload in tackle with Lewis Hogg and Joshua Stafford-Smith arriving alongside him. Picture: John MacGregor

The Inverness side could only travel with 11 players, so Moray agreed to loan them a couple and reduce the game to 60 minutes.

ICD kicked off, downhill in the first half, initially putting the home side under pressure but on three minutes, a break by scrum-half Callum Watson took him to half-way. He fed support and centre Joshua Stafford-Smith who took the ball in from 10 metres out for the first score.

Moray managed three quick scores to finish out the shortened half. Firstly, on 19 minutes, some neat interplay up the right touch line from Watson and Matt Mowatt gave, No8 Joe McLean a debut try.

Five minutes later, a quick tap penalty and slick hands allowed the increasingly influential McLean to pop the ball to Stafford-Smith, for his second touchdown, which was converted.

The bustling centre, a bruising presence throughout the game, would round off the first period with his third score, this time with a weaving run from 22 metres out. The conversion was made for a half-time score of 24-0.

Tyla Turner drives at defence. Picture: John MacGregor
Tyla Turner drives at defence. Picture: John MacGregor
Tyla Turner drives at defence. Picture: John MacGregor
Tyla Turner drives at defence. Picture: John MacGregor
Ryan Anderson leaves a defender sprawling. Picture: John MacGregor
Ryan Anderson leaves a defender sprawling. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean about to score. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean about to score. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean drives. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean drives. Picture: John MacGregor

The second half continued in the same vein, with full-back Ryan Anderson having a run-in to the right corner in the opening minutes. From a scrum on half-way after the restart, the ball went wide and Cameron Green dotted down in the left corner. Both tries went unconverted, leaving things at 34-0.

Moray had been dominant in all areas up to this point. A cohesive forward pack, with another debutant in Callum Lyon, constantly asked questions of the visitors’ defence, so it seemed fitting that they would get the final two scores in the last quarter.

Imposing prop, Nathan Gilmore, barged over from short range. The conversion was well made from out wide right. Steven Clark then rounded off the Moray tally, when fending off several tacklers from 20 metres out. The kick in front of the posts would be charged down.

ICD were under the cosh throughout but never gave up. They had tackled all afternoon and rarely troubled the home defence. On a rare foray into the opposition half, they would score the last and arguably best try of the game.

A slightly bizarre spectacle of Moray being penalised near half-way, then marched back three times by the referee, for not retreating ten, lead to a quick tap and solo effort from the ICD full back. He appeared to have the prevailing wind behind him, as he scorched around and past several bemused defenders, to dot down under the posts. The sheen was taken off of it slightly when the resulting conversion attempt failed - the final score was 46-5 to Moray.

Stephen Clark tackled. Picture: John MacGregor
Stephen Clark tackled. Picture: John MacGregor
Callum Watson takes on defence with Stephen Clark coming to support. Picture: John MacGregor
Callum Watson takes on defence with Stephen Clark coming to support. Picture: John MacGregor
Joshua Stafford-Smith breaks through a group of defenders. Picture: John MacGregor
Joshua Stafford-Smith breaks through a group of defenders. Picture: John MacGregor
Joshua Stafford-Smith on his way to scoring a try. Picture: John MacGregor
Joshua Stafford-Smith on his way to scoring a try. Picture: John MacGregor

Moray would have been expected to score well against inferior numbers, and so they did what was asked of them. That being said, they kept their organisation throughout and took the opportunities that were presented.

Some faces were new but it was clear they have a solid background. Availability is often a great decider of how a team moves forward. This unit can continue onto better things if that can be achieved.

Tyla Turner is tackled. Picture: John MacGregor
Tyla Turner is tackled. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean tackled with Liam Findlay coming to support. Picture: John MacGregor
Joe McLean tackled with Liam Findlay coming to support. Picture: John MacGregor
Cameron Green scores. Picture: John MacGregor
Cameron Green scores. Picture: John MacGregor
Tyla Turner tackles an attacker. Coming in to help is Liam Findlay. Picture: John MacGregor
Tyla Turner tackles an attacker. Coming in to help is Liam Findlay. Picture: John MacGregor
Callum Watson tackles. Picture: John MacGregor
Callum Watson tackles. Picture: John MacGregor


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