Highland push us all the way as we progress to the Cup Semis

Marr scrape through tough battle in the Highlands.
Last Saturday Marr 1st XV endured the long journey to Inverness to face Highland Rugby, a team whose home record speaks for itself.
It was always going to be a tough physical game on the windswept 4G surface that Marr are not used to playing on.
Marr won the toss and choose to play into the very strong wind that was blowing straight off Loch Ness.
Immediately Highland used the wind to their advantage and pinned Marr firmly back into their 22 m line.
It took only 12 minutes for Highlands’s persistence to pay dividends, when Highland winger Mike Gordon took full advantage of the overlap that his forwards had created for him.
Marr then managed to weather the storm with some determined tackling for the next quarter of the match.
Craig Redpath was getting frustrated by his team as they were getting their possession turned over by knocking the ball on or by some excellent counter rucking by the home team. Marr’s most effective weapon was proving to be in the scrum, where we continually dominated and won many scrum penalties against Highland.
With 6 minutes left in the half Marr managed to drive deep into the Highland 22m line and Highland were caught offside. Marr flanker Robert Brown took a quick penalty and shipped the ball out the line. The ball came to Captain Conor Bickerstaff who used his acceleration to nip through the unprepared Highland defence. Marr centre Gregor Paxton converted to take Marr into the lead.
Marr now only had to keep possession to take a lead into the second half. However they yet again threw vital possession away. Highland then took full advantage and after several phases, scrum half Ruaridh MacDonald ran through to score after some good inter play from his team mates.
Marr now were down 12 points to 7 at half time, but now had the wind advantage at their backs.
Highland were now on the back foot and defending desperately, yet heroically, as Marr piled on the pressure.
Gregor Paxton clawed some of the home teams lead back with a well struck penalty. Now taking Marr to only 2 points down.
The game continued with Highland matching Marr in the loose and showing the vociferous home support why they are a hard team to beat at home.
It was 12 minutes before time up when Marr’s pressure finally told. Jack Scott put a clever grubber kick through the Highland defence and just failed to win the race to touch the ball down when over the try line. The referee adjudged that the ball had clipped a Highland defender on the way through and Marr was awarded a 5m scrum.
Marr duly won the scrum and after several pick and go’s Mackenzie Pearce used his power to squeeze through a pile of bodies to score underneath the posts. Paxton again converted.
The last few minutes of the match was spent with Marr concentrating on keeping possession and killing off this tough physical match.
The final whistle blew and it was Marr that was most relieved to hear it.
There is no doubt that Highland can hold their heads high after this fine performance showing what playing with passion means. Marr can only say ‘job done!’
Man of the match was William Farquhar for his ball carrying skills, Mackenzie Pearce and Robert Brown pushed him close.
Teams –
Highland: R Rokoduguni; J Nawacaleuv, I Chisholm, S Ross, M Gordon; S Fraser, R MacDonald. S Murray, C Carson, L Sinclair, S MacDonald-Butler, S Blair, O Baird, G Gregor, A Findlater. Subs: M Paterson, K Brown, T Smith, H Crush, C Irvine, R Cross.
Marr: G Montgomery; S Bickerstaff, G Paxton, C Bickerstaff, J Scott; C Sturgeon, J Preston. W Farquhar, C MacMillan, C Henderson, E Hamilton-Bulger, F Grant, M Pearce, R Brown, B Grant. Subs: O Rossi, B Sweet, I Renucci, C Inglis, G Ness, T Steven.
Referee: Jonny Perriam
Scorers –
Marr: Tries , Mackenzie Pearce, Conor Bickerstaff.
Conversions, Gregor Paxton [2] Penalties [1]