At half-time at Cupar, Haddington must have thought they they might be in with a chance in their RBS Championship B encounter with Howe of Fife.
The were 18-0 down but had put in a pretty good performance in the opening 40 minutes but then the floodgates opened.
Howe piled on another 43 points in the second half, Haddington were left reeling and the Duffus Park men now sit only two points behind the side who inflicted their only defeat so far on the opening day of the season Jed Forest.
If you were reading this in Private Eye that well worn phrase “doubles all round” would come into play except for another hat-trick merchant who of course would be on a treble.
Two tries each from Girvin Imrie, Graham Thomson and Chris Martin, with the hat-trick falling to Angus Guthrie, a nap hand of conversions for Dom Martin and another two penalties from the Martin boot completed the scoring.
If Howe’s scoring exploits continue, then they could possibly overtake Jed on bonus points alone, having taken five from five games to Jed’s three.
Bonus points might not be on offer next Saturday, however, when Howe travel to Stoneyhill to face a Musselburgh side who trail them in the league by only one point.
* It looked good for Aberdeenshire at half-time at Woodside as they went in at the break 13-5 up on Kirkcaldy but the visitors turned it round in the second half and departed with a win a bonus and a very solid fourth spot in the table.
Hooker Ross Bennie-Coulson and Gary McRae had first half tries for Shire, with Gavin Cunningham slotting a penalty, but although Cunningham landed a second penalty and converted Mike Erskine’s try after the break, try doubles from Greg Wallace and Chris Mann, with Dayle Turner adding a fifth and Craig Letham converting two and bagging a penalty, ensured that Kirkcaldy not only hold on to fourth spot but have now opened a nine-point gap on fifth in the table Lasswade.
This week’s clash with league leaders Jed at Beveridge Park could have a big impact on how the table looks around 5pm next Saturday.