This year’s road to Murrayfield starts with a regional league comprising RHC, Edinburgh Northern, Trinity Accies and North Berwick and the first match was Trinity Accies at home.

After the super victory over PL there were a few changes to the side with Liam West moving to full back, Connor Johnson to the left wing and last year’s High School Captain Gus Elder starting in the centre. In the pack, Craig Cockburn was at prop and coach Rhordri Thomas was keen to try Jonny Riddell in the back row and he started at 6. The bench was a mixture of youth and experience with Bhrian Buchanan, Lee Inglis and Alan Gallagher being joined by debutant Taylor Adams.

Trinity, who are mid table in East league 2, started much the brighter of the two sides and as always, they brought a huge pack of forwards ably led by their captain David Stroud who was at tight head prop. Their stand off, John Spencer missed a penalty after six minutes and although the game seemed even, their pack started to dominate and starved North Berwick of the ball.

It took until the twenty fourth minute for the scorer to have some work to do and it looked as though their winger had scored in the corner but it was adjudged that he had lost the ball over the line. From the resultant home scrum put in, the Trinity scrum stole the ball against the head and marched the North Berwick pack over the line for No8 Kenny Campbell to score.

North Berwick came straight back and Graeme Fairgrieve strode down the touch line and when blocked, he chipped through and the supporting West evened up the scores.

Trinity were not fazed and scored two more tries before the interval, Hamilton again from close range and winger Nathan Ross on the stroke of half time. Spencer converted Hamilton’s try to make the half time score North Berwick 5 Trinity Accies 17.

This was not the score that the home supporters had predicted but there was only one change at half time with Buchanan replacing Grant Black at hooker. He made an immediate impact with his ball carrying skills and was ably supported by Riddell and Jamie Armstrong who started to make their hard running tell. This opened space for the backs and tries were to come.

Gallagher and Inglis took to the field for Cockburn and Purves and this stiffened the front row.

From a strong break by West, his pass was well taken by Johnson and in five minutes, he scored in the left corner. Two minutes later an identical move brought a similar result and soon after he scored again in the same spot this time after a break and well timed pass from Lee Inglis.

Scrum Half Grant Spence was next to score after a good kick through and the try scoring was wrapped up by Inglis and West for his second of the afternoon.

Goal kicking has been a struggle for North Berwick this season and Grant Craig and Liam West were out of sorts again with only one successful conversion all afternoon and that by Craig close to the end. Goal kickers win matches they don’t lose them but somehow this must improve.

Best of the day were obviously Connor Johnson with four tries but West was excellent with ball in hand and Riddell looked strong in the back row. Clearly Inglis, Buchanan and Gallagher made a difference when they came together in the front row and maybe this will be the first choice as the season progresses?

A six try second half meant a comfortable victory and North Berwick sits top of the mini league with away fixtures to come against RHC on 24th November and Edinburgh Northern on 1st December.