NORTHWICH were lured into the relegation battle after losing a game they should have won.
But that will be little comfort as they slipped below Vale of Lune into the drop zone at the bottom of North Two West.
"It's another what might have been," said chairman Sam Naylor.
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Blacks were 14-10 ahead at the break only to lose their shape and allow the prolific goal kicker Ronan O'Brien to slot over three second half penalties to keep his team in the chase for the play offs.
Earlier he had opened the scoring when a Northwich forward failed to roll away and five minutes later matters got worse when flanker Pete Pattenden was sent to the sin bin for killing the ball.
Fortunately Broughton opted for a scrum which they failed to win and the Blacks counter attack resulted in a penalty for Stacey Hosking.
Pressure
Pattenden was still off the pitch when further Northwich pressure gave Hosking his second penalty to put the visitors in the lead.
On the half hour Broughton produced a flowing move for winger Adam Knight to score in the corner, converted by O'Brien to make it 10-6 but a third penalty from Hosking kept Blacks in touch.
Deep into injury time another Northwich driving maul gave Fred Taylor the touch down although Hosking missed the conversion.
After the break coach Paul Reid substituted struggling Graham Robinson and Blacks seemed to lose their shape as a result.
Broughton, at different times, had two of their players sent to the sin bin but their guests failed to maintain their forward domination and the three penalties from the gifted O'Brien kept the Mancunian's promotion dream alive.
Star Man: Chris James
Northwich: Taylor, James, Gough (Heath 70), Heywood, Simpson, Pattenden, Naylor, Robinson (Davey 50), Davies, Dale, Chubb, Campbell, Smith, Bown, Hosking
Try: Fred Taylor
Penalties: Hosking (3)
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