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Broughton 31 Lasswade 12
Broughton won the National League Division 5 (East) title in the dying
minutes on Saturday thanks to a bonus point 31-12 win over Lasswade.
The five try victory for the Wardie men means that they pipped Penicuik
to
top the table and progress to National League Division Four. Second
placed
Penicuik now face a play-off against Waysiders Drumpellier to grab a
promotion place.
The scoreline may suggest that Broughton were comfortable winners but
they
were anything but. Lasswade, who could have grabbed a play-off place
with
victory, took the game to the home side from the outset and must be
given
credit for fighting all the way. Indeed only last gasp efforts by Paul
Hamer
and Tom Hopper sealed the all important bonus point and send all of a
Broughton persuasion into raptures.
Broughton captain Dan Arrandale hailed his team’s “spirit” after an
enthralling afternoon’s rugby. The scrum half said: “At the start I
thought
maybe this was one game to many because we struggled after getting an
early
score. The team spirit within the squad is tremendous though and we
needed
every bit of that togetherness to get us through this one.
“The boy’s have been immense for the last six weeks and I am so pleased
for
everyone connected with the club.”
Broughton won five league games and progressed to the BT Bowl semi-final
over the last two months and club captain Melvin Hart, absent due to an
injured hand during that spell, added: “It has been horrible having to
watch
games rather than play in them but the team have done so well. This
isn’t
about individuals, the whole squad has played their part this season and
it
is great to finally get there.”
With many Penicuik players and supporters looking on from the sidelines
it
was Broughton who got off to the perfect start. From a tap penalty,
after
centre Gareth Payne had gone close, Arrandale set up number eight Duncan
Nicolson who powered his way over the line.
Broughton Secretary Mark Brown receives
the Plate from Edinburgh Rep Barry Dalgleish
A warning shot of things to come came minutes later as the Lasswade full
back Murray made a decent break as the Hawthornden men tried to get into
the game. However, it was Broughton who went on to add their
second try in the 12th minute. It came directly from a Lasswade attack
but they
overcomplicated things in the Broughton ‘22’ and home centres Payne and
Hamer pressured. It paid off and Payne was able to gather the ball
before
slipping it to Hamer who ran 70 metres to touch down.
Although coming early, giving away such a gift of a try would have
knocked
the stuffing out of a lot of sides - but it seemed to fire up Lasswade.
Their pack began to dominate both at the set scrum and in the loose and
they
began to turnover ball with regularity.
Both sides were defending excellently though and any chances which did
fall
to the visiting backs, usually through Murray and impressive centre
Richard
Borthwick, were stopped before a team mate could be found. Two kickable
penalty misses also proved costly.
Lasswade continued to try and find a way through as the game moved
towards
half time but the ball was lost too often or as alluded too there was
simply
not enough support on hand. This meant the scoreline stayed 12-0 at the
break.
Soon after Lasswade were rewarded with their first try to spark the game
into life. Yet another turnover in possession led to Broughton being
under
pressure near their own line. After numerous Lasswade forwards had tried
but
failed to breach the defence Borthwick showed them how it was done to
slip
in under the posts.
Broughton replied almost immediately with their third try. The pack
rumbled
their way into the Lasswade half and as a number of opposition players
were
drawn to the maul there was space outside for the home side to exploit.
Wing
Hopper did the exploiting, rounding some weak tackling to score.
Lasswade could not be shaken off though and as the nerves grew they
scored
their second try thanks to a good finish by wing Grieve. His side took
advantage of Broughton flanker Chris O’ Neil’s sin binning to ship the
ball
wide and he was there to finish the move off.
The next twenty minutes were what one would expect from a last-day
promotion battle; tense, nervy and littered with errors. Indeed it was
Lasswade who seemed to be holding their nerve better, with their
forwards putting in a power of work, until they, and Penicuik, were hit
with a hammer blow.
Broughton’s Australian Hamer to be precise. He was on the end of an Alex
Guest pass to ghost in and claim his side’s all important bonus point.
The
move had been set up by a barging run by Nicolson and the score was the
clincher.
As Broughton coach Martin Scott and his players breathed a collective
sigh
of relief a final try from Hopper was the icing on the cake. “You
couldn’t
have scripted it,” remarked a relieved Arrandale at the final whistle,
“what
a game.”
Broughton: P Kelly; H Martineau, G Payne, P Hamer, T Hopper; A Guest, D
Arrandale; J Wells, D Pyper, D Cox, S Smith, S Hesketh, C O’ Neil, D
Nicolson, M MacLennan. Subs used: P Maddison, C Koo.
Lasswade: N Murray; N Durie, M Armstrong, R Borthwick, N Grieve; C
Brown, J
Elliot; A Glass, D Turnbull, D McFeate, D Grant, C Pow, D Hearn, N
Wilson, P
Robinson. Subs used: M John, M Billingham, C Quigley.
Scorers: Broughton: Tries: Hamer 2, Hopper 2, Nicolson. Cons: Guest 3.
Lasswade: Tries: Borthwick, Grieve. Con: Brown.
Referee: I Grant
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