With coaches Beadie and Sadio taking their strongest team to date to Gordonstoun School they were confident that the boys could come away with their first win of the season.

Things started off well for the visiting team when, after a few good phases of play in the forwards, prop James McGregor managed to force his way over for the first points of the game, no 10 Kieran Dyer was unable to add the extras but it was a good start for the boys in red.

The Mackie forwards continued to show their dominance by turning over the ball inside their opponents 22, the ball fell to Dyer who managed to score near the corner, but was unable to convert his own try.

The Gordonstoun boys were keen to pile the pressure on looking for points to pull themselves back into the game. They got that when Mackie gave away a silly penalty 10m's from their own line. A tap and pass saw the hosts forwards push over under the posts, adding the conversion brought them right back into the chase.

Keen to make up for their mistake Mackie piled on the pressure again and forced a penalty out of Gordonstoun inside their half, a quick tap and go by Dyer saw him put Kieran Fulton in a bit of space, he throws a show and go and breaks the gain line before popping it to centre partner Stuart Ferguson who takes off down the wing and scores near the posts. Dyer converts and Mackie have some breathing space once again.

Just before half time the visitors give away another penalty deep inside their own half, after a few phases the Gordonstoun forwards manage to work their way over the line under the posts again. With the conversion going over Mackie carry a slender 17-14 lead into the second half.

The second half started poorly for the home team with one of their players receiving a yellow card (not entirely sure what for!!).

This seemed to have a positive effect on them though as they scored the first points of the second half with a converted try to put them into the lead for the first time in the game.

Things went from bad to worse as a lose pass by the Mackie backs on the halfway line led to an intercept try by the Gordonstoun 10 who scored under the posts. So with one player off the private school boys have managed to score 2 converted try’s and give themselves a lead to defend.

Keen to claw themselves back into the game the Mackie backs really started to click, full-back Ross Gill hit a great line in midfield and glided past a couple players on his way to the try line, Ferguson took up the kicking duties and managed to add the extras.

From the resulting kick off hooker Lewis Shand (Jones, whatever...) made a great break down the line beating a few players, but unfortunately his lack of pace saw him get caught before he could make it into the opposition 22.

However he did win a penalty as a result of the tackler not releasing. Scrum half Fin McDonald took a quick tap and go but was met with a rather harsh dump tackle by one of the opposition forwards who was definitely not 10m back. This saw him receive his sides second yellow of the game (and saved him from the wrath of Fin who was "held" back by the referee when attempting to sqaure up to a player twice his size!!).

From that penalty Mackie quickly shifted the ball wide and Ferguson put winger Dylan Kerr over for a score in the corner, Ferguson's conversion pulled up short but Mackie were now in a 29-28 lead with an extra player on the field.

The Mackie backs continued to dominate the game and work the space well. This saw Ferguson make another break and gas through the line to score his second try and also bag his second conversion.

The running was all too much for him though as he then proceeded to be sick on the half way line and was taken off for a rest!!

With not much time left Mackie sealed the win when the backs once again worked the space well to put winger Lewis Carmichael over, with Ferguson off Dyer stepped up for the kick but missed again!

So overall a decent game by the boys, some better defence could have seen a much more favourable score line but the coaches cannot complain about the attacking side of things.

We have mentioned how well the backs played but that was due to the forwards giving them a great platform to work from, they turned over the ball on a few occasions and scrums and lineouts were pretty solid all round.

Final score: Gordonstoun 28 - 41 Mackie

Man of the Match was Stuart Ferguson

DOTD was Kieran Dyer (For this.....)

Team:

James McGregor, Lewis Shand, Cameron Hepburn, Thomas Wilson, Fraser Reid, Tommy Eddie, Callum Pethick, Gordon Simpson; Fin McDonald, Kieran Dyer, Kieran Fulton, Stuart Ferguson, Lewis Carmichael, Dylan Kerr, Ross Gill

Subs: Sandy Rose, Finlay Johnman, Angus Bruce