A tale of two halves as a poor second 40 minutes sees a Berwick victory slip from their grasp

Unfortunately it proved to be the ultimate game of two halves, Berwick claiming their bonus try point after only 30 minutes before capitulating in the second half, when Kirkcaldy ran in 45 points.

Duncan Hardie scored the first try for Berwick after just four minutes before Aidan Rosie scored out wide to move the score along to 12-0.

Then Jordan Jackson was brought down just before the try line, but Nathan Melrose was on hand to touchdown between the posts.

Some poor defensive work allowed the visitors into the game with an unconverted try by Rhys Bonner, his first of three on the day, before James Thompson got in on the try-scoring act for Berwick after a chipped ball from Jack Webster.

Webster was then sent to the sin bin five minutes before half time for two deliberate knock-on offences, but Berwick held on to go in at half time 26-5 ahead.

Kirkcaldy came out for the second half firing on all cylinders and, in a crazy few minutes, scored after two minutes before Jack Dalrymple got a fourth try for Berwick two minutes later.

Berwick struggled to find their rhythm in the second period and mistakes lead to two more Kirkcaldy tries, to drag the scoreline to 31-26.

The match then ran away from Berwick and Kirkcaldy ran out 31-50 winners, having scored tries in the 42nd, 50th, 54th, 59th, 64th, 72nd and 76th minutes.

Aberdeen Grammar, who occupy the bottom spot in the Tennent’s National League Division 2, also lost on Saturday, to stop Berwick from propping up the league table.

The games don’t get any easier for Berwick, who face in-form Falkirk on Saturday. Falkirk have won four of their last five games and are the current league leaders, with just two defeats all season.

Berwick scored five tries against Falkirk when they met in September, but still went down 48-35. They will need to replicate their first half performance against Kirkcaldy if they are to have any chance of coming away with a win.