North Berwick too strong for Novos

Again the game was split into quarters of 20 minutes to allow water breaks in the heat and some shuffling of the large squads to give everyone some game time. Jamie Diggle stepped up from 2nd team Captain to skipper for the day in the absence of Andy Borthwick and Alex Littlefair.

The initial stages were quite keenly fought with no scores in the opening 15 minutes and the game played largely in the middle of the pitch. Both sides went close to making breaks but handling errors were evident throughout as both sides settled in to the game. With around 5 minutes of the quarter remaining North Berwick took advantage of poor defensive communication from Novos to steal in down the blindside and score from 20 yards. Perhaps only slightly with the run of play North Berwick found themselves ahead, from the kick off North Berwick spilled possession and Novos recovered the ball to send it wide to hand Rory Diggle an early scoring chance – the visitors scrambled defence on him saw Novos quickly move the ball back the other way and half break from Man of the Match Harvey Bateman sent Jack Watkins in space to scamper over to score. North Berwick’s kick off was well fielded by Adam Longstaff and secured well by the forwards. Simon Ayre took the chance to get quick ball away to Richy Lamb who set a sweeping move involing Dan Bollado, Harvey Bateman and finally Jack Watkins who broke to score from nearly half way to give Novos a slight lead by the end of quarter one.

The 2nd Quarter was all North Berwick and didn’t go well for Novos – it started with the loss of Pete Douthwaite within seconds of the restart with a broken hand, (he will now join Jack Wilkinson and Paul Jackson on the early season crock list). And it finished with North Berwick scoring four good tries without reply to regain the lead. Novos still looked dangerous out wide and through the centres but couldn’t find a way through and were sleepy in defence at times.

The 3rd Quarter brought more of the same with North Berwick beginning to dominate territory with the help of their number 10 with an imperious boot which he used to peg Novos back time and again. A further 2 scores were leaked before Harvey Bateman got his reward with a try toward the end of the quarter.

The final quarter was much better from Novos as they piled some pressure to North Berwick’s try line a quick break from Thomas Armitage saw him cross to take Novos to within 2 scores and with the faintest of chances to get a result. North Berwick ended any chance of that when they broke away from further Novos pressure to register a final score to make it 20 – 35 (28 – 49 if you count tries as 7 points without conversions!)

Still lots of positives with many staking a claim for a starting shirt on 3rd September, Adam Longstaff and Eddy Yuill were superb in the 2nd row, John Addison again looked solid at Hooker and Back Rowers Liam Savage, Jamie Diggle and Stew Wilson looked sharp and strong particularly defensively. Simon Ayre again looked good at scrum half and Richy Lamb stepped in at fly half very well. In the Centres Jack Watkins and Harvey Bateman looked like a partnership full of hard running and tackling and Paul Roberts looked quick and elusive when he stepped in. Out wide Novos looked strongest with Rory Diggle adding to the list of players currently fighting it out for a coveted wing spot with Ben Adcock, Jonny Ward, Richy Moat, Richie Mitchell and Chris Gray.

Training both Tuesday and Thursday next week before a development/Centurians friendly TBC next Saturday and a 1st team squad to take on Wallsend on the following Tuesday before the season kicks off properly against Ashington, now in under 2 weeks time.