With several regular first-teamers unavailable for the trip to sunny Cupar it was a makeshift Wardie outfit who rocked up for what turned out to be the proverbial game of two halves.

Both sides were keen to bounceback from previous weekend’s defeats and it was the hosts who were first out of the traps with two early tries to find themselves 10-0 ahead.

Quins continued to pressure a Broughton side which has seen players feature in more positions than the Kama Sutra already this season so far. They hadn’t bargained on facing up to the tenacious tacking of Erin Maguire who emptied more tanks in Fife than the alleged fuel shortage in the Kingdom.

It needed something special to see Broughton get back into the game and it came from the hot heels of Sian Furniss who wriggled free from pressure in the middle of the paddock to win the foot race to dot the ball down under the uprights. After dusting herself down, the quick paced Kiwi slotted the extras.

There was almost another score for a Broughton side who were finding their way inside the Harlequins half with greater regularity. Katie Trachtenberg, in her first start for the side, went on a lung-bursting gallop up the touchline, only to be caught with a last ditch tackle with the try line beckoning.

Better was to follow however when the tourists took the lead on the stroke of half time to close the lid on a frantic first half fightback. Miriam Hogg evaded the Howe defence to run in for a well worked try which saw the North Edinburgh side head for the sheds 10-12 in front.

As clichés go, half time perhaps came at the wrong point in the game for a Broughton side who had gathered momentum. Alas, Howe regained the lead 15 minutes after the break after a penalty against the Broughton defence saw a confused looking Fifer head across the non-existent whitewash before being loudly instructed to place the ball down for a try.

Charlotte Blair then incurred the wrath of the Ref who had a busy day with the whistle and the back-rower took one for the team and was offered a ten minute rest for one Broughton infringement too many.

There was a debut from the benches for Kay Brenchly who got stuck in for the Broughton cause, both subs offering their all in the face of some second half adversity as the numerical advantage and frankly utter knackered-ness kicked in.

Broughton were to lose a score with Blair on the side-lines but it was the four tries in the final eight minutes that added metaphorical insult to the literal injuries as the home side rallied and run out 42-12 winners in the end.

A big thank you to Holly, Becky and Louise for stepping up and put in fantastic shifts. Super round of applause came from everyone in the post-match huddle for Sacha who continues to be the hardest working physio every Sunday afternoon. We’re sure she’d prefer to be a lot quieter…

Meanwhile, in the Clubhouse, we saw Katie earn the Broughton Player of the Match whilst the Nominated Player from our hosts was Sian. Smashed ‘em Bro! badge wasn’t even up for debate and adorned the t-shirt of Erin for her phenomenal flattening of the Fifers.