Olly Maddocks kicked 3 penalties as Broughton shook off their nemises Penicuik in a game that could only be described as one for the purists!

The 9-5 scoreline tells it's own story in a game which saw neither team take overall control in blustery conditions at Wardie.

Broughton started the new season playing up the Wardie slope and Maddocks forced Penicuik into an early mistake from the kick off.

Despite winning the early exchanges, Broughton went behind in the 8th minute.  The visitors were awarded a penalty after the match official adjudged the Broughton backs to have strayed offside on the 10 metre line.  From the line out, the Penicuik pack drove over for a try, with the scrum-half falling over the line at the base of the maul.  The centre was unsuccessful in his attempt for the extras. 00-05.

Maddocks had the opportunity to reduce the deficit on 15 minutes when the Penicuik backs were caught offside, however the Welshman's kick from 25 metres out was wide.

Broughton came close in the 20th minute when a strong rolling maul edged towards the try-line, however from the resultant open play, the ball was lost and O'Neill was penalised for coming in from the side.

The Penicuik kicker had a great chance to extend their lead on the half-hour mark but he pulled his kick wide after a penalty had been awarded for a push in back play.

Maddocks did however make it with his second attempt of the day with 4 minutes of the half left.  Penicuik were penalised for not moving away from the tackle and the kick, from just outside the 22, was successful. 03-05 at Half-Time and with the wind and slope in the second half to come, Broughton turned around with good reason to feel confident.

Fragne came on for Malcolm at the start of the half and the Frenchman was quick to get into the action causing problems in the Penicuik back division.

The tourists made their way up the hill early on, however Maddocks put all his weight behind a tremendous clearance and from being in his dead-ball area, Broughton found themselves in their opponents 22.  From the line-out, Broughton caused all sorts of problems and the referee penalised Penicuik for not releasing the ball in the tackle on their 10 metre line.

Maddocks pulled another kick straight out of the top drawer, this time the ball crawling over the bar in slow motion to put Broughton ahead for the first time in the game.  6-5.

It looked as if Broughton had extended their lead on 51 minutes when Nicolson appeared to have grounded the ball after a tremendous driving maul.  Unfortunately the referee was unsighted and decided that a 5 metre scrum was the only way to call it.

The final scoring of the afternoon was from the boot of Maddocks from yet another penalty on the hour mark.  Penicuik were not staying on their feet and from just outside the 22, the sure-footed Man of the Match slotted the kick over.

McFarlane, sporting his new beardy growth, appeared to have left his hands in the sheds at half-time when he was caught hugging the touchline with 10 minutes to go.  Urquhart ripped the ball from an opposing player inside the Penicuik 22 and he passed to McFarlane who perhaps had one eye on the glory before he collected the ball.

Both sides traded penalties (possibly one of the highest penalty counts in Rugby history!) in the final 10 minutes plus what appeared to be a staggering amount of injury time.  Broughton's defence stayed watertight and Arrandale cleared the ball out of the park for one final time as the referee blew his whistle for the end of a nail biting opening encounter.

In Saturday's other fixtures, Dunbar destroyed Earlston 32-0, Hawick Linden took 5 points in their 38-22 win away at Leith, Hawick Quins edged out Ross High 9-7 and North Berwick claimed the spoils in a 12-9 win at home against next week's opponents Portobello.