Dyce let winning position slip from grasp

Match report by Callum Robertson

Dyce welcomed Fraserburgh RFC to Central Park for the first meeting between the two teams this season. Dyce knew they had a tough challenge ahead of them, with the added pressure of coping with a skeleton squad due to injuries. Nevertheless the team went out focused and ready to take on the challenge ahead in near perfect autumnal weather and soft underfoot conditions.

Dyce kicked off the game downhill and were slow out the blocks in the opening exchanges but managed to weather the storm and grew into the match. With players playing out of position,the Dyce scrum wasn’t their strongest and the visitors were winning the scrums against the head. Stalwart Nicky Cheyne was subbed on, and went into the front row which settled the Dyce scrum.

Dyce started hitting good lines and were piercing the Broch defence with big line breaks and offloading to get beyond the gain line. Slick passing and strong running saw the ball moved wide to Cameron Moore and he dotted it down in the left hand corner for a try to break the deadlock in the 30th minute. Duncan Scott converted from out wide. The home side continued to impress with solid running from Shea Brown and Cameron Moore turning over the ball several times in the breakdown. New boy Johnny Brophy was putting in some wild tackles as Full Back. Dyce went onto score another try almost immediately after the first, after a slick backs move when the ball reached winger Jack Gray and he danced around the Fraserburgh defence to score a try with minutes left of the first half. The extras went begging as stand in Fly Half Duncan Scott pushed the conversion wide. Dyce continued to hold their own for the rest of the half.

HT: Dyce RFC 12-0 Fraserburgh RFC

Fraserburgh again started quickly and hit hardfrom the off at the start of the second half and scored a try within the first 5 minutes of the second half and converted to stamp there authority on the game. Slowly but surely the match's complexion began to turn 180; Fraserburgh’s full bench took advantage of Dyce’s tiring players and scored two tries in quick succession after returning to a full compliment following the reappearance of the Broch winger who was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on on the 50 minute mark.

With Dyce now chasing the game they caught a break as the visitors infringed at the breakdown and were awarded a penalty. Straight but far out, Duncan Scott blasted it over the bar to bring Dyce back in to the game. A Xav Kelly penalty on 76 minutes saw the boys in black maintain a 7 point lead going into the final moments. Dyce tried their hardest to rebound back and work the try they needed to draw them level, but a last minute try from the Broch openside Flanker assured Dyce didn’t even come away with any losing bonus point.

FT: Dyce RFC 15-29 Fraserburgh RFC

MOTM: Cameron Moore
DOTD: Callum Robertson

A tough game for Dyce, which with a fuller squad, could have maybe went a different way. Dyce welcome Aberdeenshire RFC 2XV next Saturday at Central Park. All are welcome to cheer on both teams from the sidelines...
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