Berwick pick up two points in fight for survival in rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 2

Both sides were enjoying runs of form, the visitors having won their last five games and their hosts looking to build on back-to-back victories as well as wanting to make amends for the 59-5 thumping inflicted on them in the reverse fixture in Dumfries and Galloway at the start of December.

The losing bonus point and try bonus point they picked up see Berwick, 19-18 ahead at half-time at the weekend, sitting seventh in the 12-team table, with 46 points from 19 fixtures.

That’s one place and two points above this season’s five-team relegation zone but they’ve got a game in hand on the side beneath them, Dumfries Saints.

Berwick’s try-scorers were Aidan Rosie at the double, Darren Goodfellow and Adam Hardie, and captain Jack Webster added three conversions.

Robbie McCornick, David Gaw, Jamie Smith and James McMiken scored the visitors’ tries, with Jack Gaw adding two penalties and three conversions.

Berwick head coach Colin Young was disappointed not to pick up four or five points but is still hopeful his side will beat the drop, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “It was disappointing but I was also pleased with our performance.

“I thought we fronted up quite well early doors and with that slender lead at half-time, I thought we could have gone on to do something better in the second half but they came out of the blocks well and caused us enough damage to see us off in the first ten minutes of the second half.

“We stuck in until the end, like we normally do, but it was probably too little too late. We still had enough in us to win that game so it was disappointing but we’ll move on.”

What Berwick will be moving on to is a visit from third-placed Glasgow Academicals this coming Saturday; another home game against fifth-placed Lasswade on Saturday, April 15; and a trip to East Lothian’s fourth-from-bottom Preston Lodge to wrap their season up on Saturday, April 22, all 3pm kick-offs.