Broughton travelled to North Berwick on Saturday with your webmaster decidedly unhappy at not getting the chance to visit the sea-life centre beforehand.  Instead, on arrival at Recreation Park, the shows were in town!  Coach Martin Scott insisted on the normal pre-match warm up however and in the shadow of North Berwick Law.  Nope, not the Cop Shop Coxy, but the big hill with the wishbone on top of it!

The cross winds and at times driving rain prior to kick-off suggested that the game would be won on who could make best use of the cross field kicks and throw the straightest line-outs

Turtle takes to the sky!

Broughton took the game to the hosts from the start and it took just 6 minutes for the league leaders to open their account.  A drive by the heavier Broughton pack from 15 metres out put the North Berwick forwards on the back foot and Birthday Boy Andy Turtle emerged from the pile of bodies with the ball to put Broughton 0-5 up.

The visitors had the bulk of the possession for the majority of the next 20 minutes or so but could not capitalise and add to their tally and it was the home side, who were sitting 2nd bottom of the ladder going into the game, who were next to register on the score sheet with a try of their own to make it 5-5 which was how it stayed at half-time.

Paul Hamer attempts a kick at goal.

Broughton regained the lead within 5 minutes of the restart with Paul Hamer slotting over a penalty however, North Berwick responded by going in for another try to edge them back in the lead at 10-8.  No sooner had the touch judges wandered back to half-way, they were called into action again at the opposite end for a Broughton penalty.  Hamer duly converted as the points pendulum swung once again in Broughton's favour at 10-11 and it was a case of deja vu 10 minutes later as Broughton edged further ahead 10-14.

As the clock ticked down, Broughton appeared to have the upper hand and seemed to put the game to bed when No.8 Duncan Nicolson peeled away from the back of a scrum to bundle over for his 4 try of the season.  Hamer converted and with daylight between the sides at 10-21 there seemed little comeback for the stuffy North Berwick side who will no doubt pick up points at home as the season progresses.

However, it was the home side who completed the scoring with a well worked try from deep inside their own half and will feel hard done by as they outscored Broughton by 3 tries to 2 but failed to convert any of them.

Next week, it's BT Cup time!!  Visiting Wardie are Glasgow based Lenzie from National 4.  Lenzie, who won last season's National 5 (West A) campaign have started their season confidently and they currently sit 3rd top.   Our old friends and foes Leith travelled west at the weekend and managed a 7-7 draw so we can expect a great game ahead of us at Wardie next week with the winners being guaranteed a home tie against top flight opposition in the next round.