The U14 boys travelled to Dunfermline RFC 7s at McKane Park on Sunday for their final fixture of the season. They have put in a huge amount of effort throughout the year, training three times a week to develop fitness, skills and game awareness. This tournament provided their final opportunity to bring everything together, with the clear aim of securing that elusive win. The format consisted of three group-stage matches to determine qualification for either the Cup or Plate, followed by semi-finals and then either a final or third/fourth play-off.

Group Stage Matches

Mackie v Dunfermline (Group A)

The boys took to the field with confidence and a real can-do attitude. Although they went a few tries down early on, there was no panic, the heads stayed up and they trusted their ability to get back into the game.

Strong running and improved handling began to turn the tide. Hughie Russell led the way with three tries, Dylan Main added another, and Stefan Moir showed excellent awareness to gather a low ball from a brilliant back-handed offload by Elliot Keir to cross the line. While there is still room for improvement with drop-kick conversions, this was a strong performance and, crucially, secured the team’s first win of the season. Final score: Mackie 27 – Dunfermline 19

Mackie v Waysiders Drumpellier (Group A)

The second match was a closely contested battle, but once again the boys played with confidence. There was some excellent attacking rugby on display, combined with a much-improved team defensive effort. Everyone putting in tackles and working for each other. Stefan Moir and Dylan Main both added to their tally, while Brax MacAskill crossed the line twice. The conversions were also better executed in this match. Final score: Mackie 28 – Waysiders 24

Mackie v Strathmore (Group A)

Strathmore proved to be tough opposition. Having faced them at Lathallan a few weeks earlier and suffered a heavy defeat, there was some trepidation going into the match as to what may happen. Strathmore started strongly, using their physicality to break through the Mackie defence and build a lead. The Mackie boys defended with determination and worked hard throughout, making life difficult for the opposition, but Strathmore always had the upper hand. Mackie did manage to get points on the board, with Griff Goalen awarded a penalty try following a high tackle that prevented him crossing the line. Final score: Strathmore 36 – Mackie 7

A strong group stage overall saw Mackie qualify for the Cup semi-final which is a great achievement in itself.

Knockout Stage

Kinross – Cup Semi-Final

Kinross were strong opponents, but Mackie continued to play with the same belief and enthusiasm shown throughout the day. The boys worked hard as a unit, putting in big tackles, competing well at the breakdown and playing positive attacking rugby when opportunities arose. Kinross were ultimately the stronger side and built a lead, but Mackie continued to fight and produced some good phases of play. Brax MacAskill and Stefan Moir both managed to cross the line. Final score: Kinross 31 – Mackie 10

Following the semi-final defeat, Mackie faced Strathmore once again in the third/fourth play-off.

Strathmore – 3rd/4th Play-Off

By this stage of the tournament, the boys had really started to gel as a team. Every player looked eager to be on the pitch and contribute. Importantly, there was no sense of hesitation heading into a rematch against Strathmore.

From the opening whistle, Mackie played some of their best rugby of the day. The attacking play was sharp, and they began to dominate the breakdown, helped significantly by the return of Calvin Sadio, who made a big impact with powerful jackals and turnover ball. Tries followed from across the team: Elliot Keir showed great pace to cross the line, Calvin Sadio added another, Hughie Russell continued his excellent form getting his 4th try of the day, Griff Goalen chased down a kick-off to score, and Brax MacAskill rounded off an outstanding day with two more tries, making him top Mackie try scorer of the day with 5! There was a formidable defensive effort and Rory Coull, and Hughie deserve a special mention for their dominant tackles. As the game wore on, Strathmore began to tire while Mackie continued to grow in confidence and intensity. A deserved and impressive win followed. Final score: Mackie 34 – Strathmore 14

This result secured 3rd place overall, a fantastic way to finish the season and a reflection of the progress made throughout the year.

Summary

This tournament showed just how far the boys have come this season. Across the day they demonstrated their skills, fitness and ability to play as a team. Most importantly, they showed belief, something that has been building all season. To finish third overall, including a strong win against Strathmore in the final match, is a great achievement and a fitting end to the year. With a growing squad, we look forward to seeing how the boys perform next year at U15 level.

A big thank you to the Team Sponsor - McKnight Associates for all their support this year!

Mark Goalen, U14s Coach