An unpleasant day at Greenlaw saw Stewartry host Moffat in the pouring rain and a significant breeze.
Stewartry kicked off with the wind behind them and were soon camped in the Moffat 22. From a scrum, Crawford Broach picked up and went blind, two rucks later he again dented the defence setting up Preston Carnochan for his first try which he converted.
Stewartry were quickly back on the attack although it was difficult to string passes together as the cold and slippery ball was giving both sides difficulties. From a Moffat defensive line out, Preston repositioned himself in the backfield and fielded the anticipated clearing kick. This he ran back from 40m out, finally scoring in the far left hand corner.
In the second quarter Moffat began to assert themselves. Using a dominant scrum as a platform, they launched their big runners straight up the middle and forced themselves over twice before half-time.
At the break Stewartry were leading by two points but it was going to be a hard task to hold the lead into the wind.
The second half was dominated by mistakes from both sides. That gave Moffat plenty of scrums from which to exert pressure and Lucas Swalwell and Arthur Bolland, as props, had to resist to give Seamus Monday, at hooker, just enough time to compete.
Remaining scoreless for virtually the whole half, the match swung to and fro, with the need for both sides to defend stoutly. Stewartry seemed to get a second wind going into the last quarter as the narrowness of their lead began to dawn. The defensive press began to improve and players like Angus Valentine, Lewis Morrow and Seamus began to tidy loose ball by simply going forward and setting up solid rucks.
In the last five minutes Stewartry capitalised on a series of Moffat mistakes forcing them back into their 22. A series of desperate pick and go attempts was finally rounded off with Angus Bryson forcing himself over the try line.
Letting the Moffat kick off bounce into the Stewartry 22 gave the defenders an uncomfortable few minutes but the defence held and Stewartry were grateful to hear the final whistle.
