Berwick
Rugby
Football
Club
11 Derwentwater Terrace, Scremerston, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 2QY
Tel: 01289 302141
Email: admin@berwickrugbyclub.co.uk
Email: admin@berwickrugbyclub.co.uk
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Berwick 18 RHC 20
In a penalty strewn game which ebbed and flowed between the teams Royal High Corstorphine edged out Berwick with a penalty in the last few minutes. Before this Scottish Hydro League game RHC were in 7th place with the Blacks 2 places behind and 2 points separating them. After the game because of results elsewhere RHC dropped a place to 8th and Berwick retained 9th!
Referee David Douglas from Hawick, a regular official at Scremerston, got the game under way in perfect conditions for rugby with the pitch looking brilliantly maintained and overhead conditions clear and dry with no wind. Berwick started the game showing tremendous pace and aggression in the loose and in the tight. This aggressive start pushed RHC onto the back foot and they gave away a penalty. The Berwick team had suffered a number of injuries in the build up to this week’s game and without a regular kicker scrum half James Patterson was forced into kicking duties. Unfortunately his boot was off with this attempt and Berwick failed to capitalise on their good start. RHC took heart from this let off and after good interplay by the visiting backs RHC were awarded a very kickable penalty after Berwick were penalised for being offside. The RHC Kicker Mike Hanning returned the favour by promptly missing his kick. Against the run of play Hanning found his kicking touch to put the first 3 points on the scoreboard when Berwick again were penalised for offside. The Blacks continued to gain dominance in the scrum with Gareth Black the Berwick Hooker taking a couple against the head but for all this possession they simply lacked the cutting edge to open up the RHC defence. RHC and Berwick then both failed with penalty attempts before Berwick shot themselves in the foot when they gifted a try to RHC. The Blacks had possession of the ball but as the player on the ground popped the ball upwards it was RHC hands that got to the ball. A quick attacking move saw the scrum half for RHC touch down in the corner. Hanning was able to convert from a tight angle to give RHC a 10 point lead.
The fighting spirit which has been a feature of this side so far this season came to the fore again as they fought back to score a try almost immediately. The Berwick back row of Haggerstone, Pearson and McDougal exerted great pressure on the RHC backline and this forced them into a loose pass which was gratefully received by James Patterson and after making strides forwards he passed to Neil Graham who managed to barge over despite the attentions of several RHC opponents. Patterson unfortunately missed the conversion and with no further scores half time came with Berwick trailing by 10 points to 5.
Berwick again started positively and Gareth Black continued to contribute all round the park with his tackling and work on the ground. This good pressure from Berwick gained a penalty and as referee Douglas played the advantage Berwick stand off James Warcup executed a classic drop goal to close the scoring gap to 2 points. There then followed a period of play littered by penalties and infringements. The kicking boots for both sides were definitely missing as each side missed 2 penalty attempts each. Berwick then scored an excellent try to gain the lead for the first time. The Berwick pack gained good ground with a powerful driving maul and after a series of forward drives Berwick‘s James Warcup was able to touch down. RHC claimed there was a double movement but their appeal was waved away. With Patterson adding the conversion Berwick were 15-10 in front. The lead was short lived though as RHC took advantage of some weak tackling which let Kev Watters the RHC substitute touch down to level the scores. As the conversion was about to be taken a Berwick player stupidly shouted out and as the ball sailed wide this left the referee no alternative but to have the conversion re-taken. This time there was no mistake and RHC took the lead 17-15. The game then moved into a final tense 15 minutes where the penalty count clocked ever upwards. There was some fine touch finding kicks from Warcup which continually pegged RHC back into there own half. Berwick were then awarded a penalty well out on the touch line. Patterson showed some real composure to slot the difficult penalty for Berwick to retake the lead 18-17. It looked as if the Blacks were going to hang on with the final 5 minutes left but some undisciplined chat to the referee gave RHC a final scoring chance. Mike Hanning managed to land it and despite the Blacks pressurising the RHC line the score ended with Berwick on 18 points and RHC on 20.
This game summed up the Berwick season so far. The forwards are winning plenty of possession but the back lines seem unable to convert the possession into tries. The defence remains resilient but a lack of concentration at key moments gives opportunities to the opposition. The Blacks now visit Langholm for a Border Derby and with their Border rivals failing to show any real form so far it must be viewed as a first potential away win. However previous form will be left behind as it is a Derby.
In a penalty strewn game which ebbed and flowed between the teams Royal High Corstorphine edged out Berwick with a penalty in the last few minutes. Before this Scottish Hydro League game RHC were in 7th place with the Blacks 2 places behind and 2 points separating them. After the game because of results elsewhere RHC dropped a place to 8th and Berwick retained 9th!
Referee David Douglas from Hawick, a regular official at Scremerston, got the game under way in perfect conditions for rugby with the pitch looking brilliantly maintained and overhead conditions clear and dry with no wind. Berwick started the game showing tremendous pace and aggression in the loose and in the tight. This aggressive start pushed RHC onto the back foot and they gave away a penalty. The Berwick team had suffered a number of injuries in the build up to this week’s game and without a regular kicker scrum half James Patterson was forced into kicking duties. Unfortunately his boot was off with this attempt and Berwick failed to capitalise on their good start. RHC took heart from this let off and after good interplay by the visiting backs RHC were awarded a very kickable penalty after Berwick were penalised for being offside. The RHC Kicker Mike Hanning returned the favour by promptly missing his kick. Against the run of play Hanning found his kicking touch to put the first 3 points on the scoreboard when Berwick again were penalised for offside. The Blacks continued to gain dominance in the scrum with Gareth Black the Berwick Hooker taking a couple against the head but for all this possession they simply lacked the cutting edge to open up the RHC defence. RHC and Berwick then both failed with penalty attempts before Berwick shot themselves in the foot when they gifted a try to RHC. The Blacks had possession of the ball but as the player on the ground popped the ball upwards it was RHC hands that got to the ball. A quick attacking move saw the scrum half for RHC touch down in the corner. Hanning was able to convert from a tight angle to give RHC a 10 point lead.
The fighting spirit which has been a feature of this side so far this season came to the fore again as they fought back to score a try almost immediately. The Berwick back row of Haggerstone, Pearson and McDougal exerted great pressure on the RHC backline and this forced them into a loose pass which was gratefully received by James Patterson and after making strides forwards he passed to Neil Graham who managed to barge over despite the attentions of several RHC opponents. Patterson unfortunately missed the conversion and with no further scores half time came with Berwick trailing by 10 points to 5.
Berwick again started positively and Gareth Black continued to contribute all round the park with his tackling and work on the ground. This good pressure from Berwick gained a penalty and as referee Douglas played the advantage Berwick stand off James Warcup executed a classic drop goal to close the scoring gap to 2 points. There then followed a period of play littered by penalties and infringements. The kicking boots for both sides were definitely missing as each side missed 2 penalty attempts each. Berwick then scored an excellent try to gain the lead for the first time. The Berwick pack gained good ground with a powerful driving maul and after a series of forward drives Berwick‘s James Warcup was able to touch down. RHC claimed there was a double movement but their appeal was waved away. With Patterson adding the conversion Berwick were 15-10 in front. The lead was short lived though as RHC took advantage of some weak tackling which let Kev Watters the RHC substitute touch down to level the scores. As the conversion was about to be taken a Berwick player stupidly shouted out and as the ball sailed wide this left the referee no alternative but to have the conversion re-taken. This time there was no mistake and RHC took the lead 17-15. The game then moved into a final tense 15 minutes where the penalty count clocked ever upwards. There was some fine touch finding kicks from Warcup which continually pegged RHC back into there own half. Berwick were then awarded a penalty well out on the touch line. Patterson showed some real composure to slot the difficult penalty for Berwick to retake the lead 18-17. It looked as if the Blacks were going to hang on with the final 5 minutes left but some undisciplined chat to the referee gave RHC a final scoring chance. Mike Hanning managed to land it and despite the Blacks pressurising the RHC line the score ended with Berwick on 18 points and RHC on 20.
This game summed up the Berwick season so far. The forwards are winning plenty of possession but the back lines seem unable to convert the possession into tries. The defence remains resilient but a lack of concentration at key moments gives opportunities to the opposition. The Blacks now visit Langholm for a Border Derby and with their Border rivals failing to show any real form so far it must be viewed as a first potential away win. However previous form will be left behind as it is a Derby.