Match Report: Plymouth Albion vs Clifton RFC

Saturday 13 September – Brickfields, 3:00pm KO

Plymouth Albion were in action Saturday afternoon, when they played their season opener at Brickfields, taking on newly promoted Clifton RFC in front of a packed stadium, all of whom were in good voice.

Having made short work of Leeds Tykes last weekend with a dominant away performance, Head Coach Ryan Lamb and his team were keen to build on that result and give the home fans something to cheer about.

As the game kicked off in bright sunshine, it proved to be perfect conditions for both players and fans. With the sun beating down, Clifton kicked things off and the game was underway.

First Half

Clifton immediately pushed for territory as both sides looked to gain composure and settle into the competition. Not much ground was made by either side in the opening minutes as both teams felt each other out, until the game hit the ten-minute mark and Albion piled on the pressure. Joel Broadhurst shook free, skipping two tackles before touching down for the home side’s first try of the game. Frankie Dart added the two-point conversion.

Albion pressed on once more as Clifton faltered. The strength of the forwards proved too much and they were rewarded with their second try, when Harry Wilkinson barrelled his way over in the corner. Dart, from the narrowest of angles, kicked a perfect two-point conversion.

After the restart, Clifton attempted to apply pressure, pushing Albion back towards their twenty-two. But Albion held firm. A superb kick from fly-half Harry Legg pinned Clifton back, and Albion turned the ball over before working it wide to Shea Cornish, who sprinted under the posts for their third try. Dart added the extras with ease.

With eighteen minutes left in the first half, Albion led 21–0 and looked in complete control. Clifton, however, fought back, camping inside Albion’s twenty-two for nearly ten minutes. The home defence held firm, and eventually Albion pushed them back. Moments before half time, Albion’s scrum was illegally impeded on the try line and the referee signalled for a penalty try.

The home side weren’t done yet. After the restart, Albion spread the play, finding Oscar Stewart on the wing just over halfway. Stewart produced a moment of brilliance, chipping an inch-perfect kick into the corner, outpacing his opposite number, and grounding the ball for his first try. Dart converted once again from the toughest of angles.

The half-time whistle blew with Albion firmly in command at 35–0.

Second Half

Clifton came out after the break with renewed vigour and were rewarded almost immediately. Two minutes into the half, Matt Smith mauled the ball over for their first try. The conversion was missed, leaving the score 35–5.

Neither side took control in the next phase, but Albion maintained territorial advantage. They made it count after a well-worked lineout led to a thunderous run from Ben Moa, followed quickly by Harry Wilkinson smashing over for his second try. Dart missed the conversion for the first time in the game, but Albion stretched the lead to 40–5.

Just minutes later, Stewart again made the difference, stealing possession and breaking downfield before offloading brilliantly to Frankie Dart, who scored Albion’s sixth try. Dart’s conversion attempt from a tight angle was unsuccessful.

With ten minutes to go, Albion were in complete control. Fly-half Harry Legg produced another inch-perfect kick into the corner, where Shea Cornish beat the Clifton defence to score. Dart’s conversion narrowly missed, leaving Albion ahead 50–5.

As storm clouds gathered, Albion delivered more for the crowd. Gabe Mead bulldozed his way over, taking three Clifton defenders with him, before Dart added the conversion. With just minutes left, Albion scored again as Morgan Stone, in his fiftieth appearance for the club, sprinted down the wing and released a perfect pass to Mead, who dived over for his second. Dart’s final kick struck the post, leaving the full-time score 62–5.

Reaction

Coach Ryan Lamb was impressed with his team’s performance:

“Obviously a really good result. To score sixty points at home on the first day is fantastic. I thought we were really good coming out of the blocks, not wanting it to be an arm wrestle in that first twenty or thirty minutes, but we were really clinical again. To be honest I think we could have had a few more points in the first half as the lineout didn’t function too well, but I think there are a lot of parts of our game that are functioning really well, so we have got to keep building on that.”

Oscar Stewart was named Man of the Match after his home debut and said:

“It feels really good, thank you. You can’t complain after a result like that, especially when it’s the first home game. We knew it was going to be a big game and we performed well.”

Speaking about playing in front of the Brickfields crowd, Stewart added:

“It’s a hell of a crowd down here and we played some running rugby, so I hope that everyone who has come down has enjoyed that.”

Looking Ahead

Next up for Albion is a trip to Hertfordshire to face Bishop’s Stortford. Looking ahead, Lamb commented:

“Bishops are a fully-fledged National One team and they are very good at home with a good record down there and they pose different threats, so we’ll let the boys enjoy tonight, reset and come back in Monday. The boys are really looking forward to it and there’s a really good mood in the camp at the moment. It will get tougher week after week, so we don’t want to get too above our station, but it’s been a fantastic start to build on.”

Plymouth Albion V Leeds Tykes Saturday 06/09/2025

Plymouth Albion headed north for their season opener on Saturday afternoon, with plenty of
expectation and an eagerness to not only impress, but make an early statement to the rest of
the league showing their intentions moving forward.
Newly promoted Leeds Tykes were the opposition, a team that was also brimming with
confidence having been recently promoted from National Two North, finishing dominantly in first
place whilst boasting an impressive unbeaten record at home in The Sycamores.They too would
be looking to get their season off to a good start and continue their impressive record from last
season.
If past meetings between the two sides were anything to go by, Leeds would have just cause to
feel optimistic about their chances, having won ten of their last seventeen meetings. However,
on an overcast Saturday afternoon in West Yorkshire, with the sun beginning to fade, it would
be Albion that would kick things off with a new season and new found optimism.
The match officials got the game underway and Albion switched on immediately, focussed on
the Leeds twenty two and getting the ball closer and closer to the home side’s try line. They
poured on instant pressure and were rewarded after just six minutes when inside centre Archie
Hill crashed over the line to secure the first five points of the game with Frankie Dart adding the
two point conversion moments later making it 7-0. This was the beginning of a cascade of
Albion pressure, as they relentlessly crashed and mauled their way forwards, setting up camp
deep in the Leeds twenty two. Nineteen minutes into the game, Bobby Wigginton broke free and
raced over the line for Albion’s second try of the game and Frankie Dart again managed to
squeeze over the extra two points, the score now, 14-0. Albion were not done there. They
somehow turned up the heat on the home team and again headed deep into the opposition’s
twenty two, and with six minutes remaining in the first half managed two more tries, one well
worked five points from scrum half Jack Oulton and another from Jenson Boughton thundering
over the line. Both tries were capped off with Frankie Dart kicking the two point conversions, as
he took his tally to four impressive kicks. All in all an impressive first half of Albion dominance,
with both teams heading to the dressing rooms, the score 28-0.
The second half began in a different manner however. Having been under the cosh for the last
forty minutes, Leeds burst out of the blocks with a new found intent. Worryingly for Albion they
crashed over the line after just three minutes of the restart, looking to change the narrative and
make a heroic comeback. The conversion was missed, but Leeds were now on the scoreboard
and in the hunt for more. Albion’s defensive sets however, were very impressive and they not
only fought the home side off their own try line, but turned the tide once again, pushing Leeds
back towards their own twenty two. Albion then made a number of substitutions, bringing on
Charlie Bell, Morgan Stone and Liam Bishop who all added to the away side’s pressure,
pressure that was rewarded moments later in the sixtieth minute, when number 8 Ben Moa
broke free of the pack for Albion’s fifth try of the match, with Frankie Dart once again kicking
with precision and adding the conversion, the score now 35-5. Four minutes later Frankie Dart
would add to his impressive kicking, by sprinting over the Leeds try line to add another five
points, but would subsequently miss the conversion from a tricky angle.
With the game now all but over and the sun completely set Albion made a number of changes
as they headed into the last ten minutes of what had been a very impressive performance. They
managed to squeeze in one more try with nine minutes to go, when Morgan Stone wriggled free
to put the ball over the line, and newly substituted Iwan Jenkins failed to squeeze the ball over
for the conversion from a tight angle. Leeds Tykes did manage one last consolation try and
conversion in the dying seconds of the game, but it did not matter as Albion celebrated into the
night sky, mission accomplished. The final score 45-12 to the visiting Plymouth Albion, with Ben
Moa being named “Man of the Match” following his impressive contribution to the visitors win.
Albion Coach Ryan Lamb was impressed with his side’s performance, saying “Really good start
from the lads. I thought we were really clinical and won the big moments early on. Obviously just
the first game but a great game to build from.

Match preview for Saturday 6 September – The Sycamores, West Yorkshire

Photographs to follow.

Albion’s opponents enjoyed a fruitful 2024/25 campaign, managing to secure the top spot in the National League 2 North, losing only two games along the way and boasting an unbeaten home record at The Sycamores. Their top try scorers from last season included Adam Brown, with twenty-four tries, and Eliah Chitiyo, who added eleven tries for the Leeds side.

Plymouth Albion head north this weekend for their season opener, where they will be taking on newly promoted Leeds Tykes at The Sycamores, West Yorkshire.

For Albion, it has been a productive and successful pre-season campaign leading into this first match. Preparation has been meticulous, and Head Coach Ryan Lamb has already spoken previously regarding the squad as being “…the fittest and most powerful we’ve looked coming out of a pre-season…”

As a result, expectations are high and the team is keen to hit the ground running, laying their intentions out over the opening games of this forthcoming season.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s clash, Albion should go into the fixture with plenty of confidence given their pre-season performances, but also the impressive way they finished last season. Despite last season’s slow start, Albion managed an impressive fourth-place finish, only three points behind third, and this season they have aspirations to improve on that and creep closer to the Championship.

Ryan Lamb has selected his team for the match, which includes five full debuts for Albion (not including pre-season).

Starting XV

Jenson Boughton
Harry Wilkinson
Dan Pullinger
Joel Broadhurst
Freddie Stevenson (debut)
Jake Clemson
Jago Sheppard
Ben Moa
Jack Oulton
Harry Legg
Bobby Wigginton
Archie Hill
Oscar Stewart (debut)
Shea Cornish
Frankie Dart

Replacements

16. Gabe Mead

17. Morgan Stone

18. Liam Bishop (potential debut)

19. Iwan Jenkins (loan – Exeter Chiefs, potential debut)

20. Charlie Bell (loan – Exeter Chiefs, potential debut)

Coach Lamb was optimistic prior to the match, but understands his team cannot be complacent about their opposition. He noted:

“We know Leeds have a lot of National One pedigree and they’re always a very difficult team to play at home. It’s going to be a big challenge but one the guys are really excited for.”

Written by Pablo Cheeks

Day time photo by ALMC Photography

Evening photo By Thomas Anthony

ALBION V St Austell

Plymouth Albion competed their final preseason fixture prior to the start of the 2025-26 season,
taking on St Austell RFC who currently compete in the Tribute Ale Region One South West
Division. Friday night at Brickfields, with a healthy number of home supporters on hand saw the
two sides take to the field with the sun still shining. The wind and rain from the previous night’s
storm seem to have little effect on the pitch as both teams were looking to head into their
forthcoming seasons on something of a high note.
The opening ten minutes was a lively affair, and despite there being no score, Albion piled on
the pressure and managed to maintain territorial advantage. Some gallant defending by St
Austell and one or two unforced errors by the home side left the fans waiting for the first points
of the game. Points which would follow at the fifteen minute mark, after a fantastic run by Ben
Saunders, which led to a penalty with Saunders opting to kick to touch deep inside the St
Austell twenty two. The subsequent line-out led to the Plymouth Albion ruck driving toward the
line until Gabe Mead emerged from the pack to put the ball down for Albion’s first try. Saunders
then narrowly missed the kick from a tricky angle, before play resumed.
Following the try, St Austell turned up the tempo and enjoyed some promising possessions, yet
were still unable to creep too far beyond the half way line. Just before the half hour mark
however, it was Albion who put the pressure on and were rewarded by a well worked try, as the
number 12 Billy Orchard sprinted to the try line on the wing after a well worked overlap and
managed to finally put the ball down under the posts, giving Ben Saunders a simple kick for the
two point conversion.
With darkness now surrounding the ground, and the sun all but down, the floodlights shone
down brightly as Albion applied pressure once more, looking to add to their advantage before
half-time. Sure enough, after a penalty against St. Austell for a high tackle on Torin Clarke and
yet another pin point kick deep into the visitors twenty two from Saunders, the subsequent drive
set up Gabe Mead for his second try of the game as he charged through the St Austell defence,
squeezing the ball over the try line and into the corner. A tough kick for Ben Saunders, which he
missed by mere inches. Saunders’ attempt would be the last kick of the first half, sending the
home side into the interval leading 17-0.
The second half kicked off with both teams making a number of changes. Albion once again
established territorial dominance, driving St Austell back towards their own twenty two. And
there the play remained until a fantastic individual run from Kyle Spear, who emerged from the
pack, breaking three tackles before sprinting under the posts for his first try of the game. Ben
Saunders followed up with the easy two point conversion.
Roles were immediately switched as play resumed, with St Austell camping out in Albions
twenty two, making great headway, pushing back the home side’s defensive line. However,
Albion turned defence into instant attack, as Ben Parsons intercepted a pass and sprinted home
from well within his own twenty two for five points in the corner. Ben Saunders then kicked the
impressive two point conversion from the tightest of angles much to the home crowd’s delight.
St Austell continued to apply pressure to the home side, pinning Albion back to their own try
line. Their continued intensity led to the away side squeezing the ball over for a try, with twenty
minutes remaining in the game. The conversion was missed however, and when play resumed,
it was Albion who turned up the intensity, heading straight into their opponents twenty two,
hoping to add to their 31-5 advantage. They did just that five minutes later after sustained
pressure and a solid drive for the St Autsell line, with Callum Arnold bulldozing his way to his
first try of the game. Ben Saunders added the extra two with yet another pinpoint kick to make
the score 38-5, with little under fifteen minutes remaining.
Albion weren’t done there, adding a penalty try moments later after a promising drive was
illegally impeded and then three trys were scored in quick succession. The first from birthday
boy Morgan Stone, then an impressive run down the wing from Ben Sharpe on his debut with
Frankie Dart adding the two point conversion, capped off by a try from Joel Broadhurst right on
the forty minute mark and the final whistle, with the home side taking the spoils 62-5.
“I give credit to St Austell, they made us work hard for that first twenty five/ thirty minutes…”
started Albions coach Ryan Lamb post game, who seemed more than happy with his side’s
performance. He continued “…they gave us a massive workout, exactly what we wanted and
including the last three games it’s been brilliant preparation for us going into our first league
game next week.” Coach Lamb also had high praise for Ben Sharpe and his debut, saying
“Sharpe’s been awesome. He’s kept his head down and worked hard. He’s a young lad and it’s
great to give him a bit of experience here.” In closing Lamb added “The lads across the whole
squad have played good minutes and it’s the fittest and most powerful we’ve looked coming out
of a preseason, and a lot of that is down to the players coming back in good condition. We’re
really pleased, but we won’t actually know until we get down to business next week and the
tough challenge of Leeds.”
Albion indeed take on Leeds Tykes in their National League One season opener Saturday 6th in
Leeds and the squad will be keen to hit the ground running as they embark on their 2025-26
campaign.

Match report for Saturday 23rd August 2025

Plymouth Albion welcomed Exeter Chiefs U23s to Brickfields In front of 1153 fans for one of the most anticipated pre-season fixtures in years. With the sun shining and a vibrant atmosphere building, supporters were treated to a fast-paced contest that finished in dramatic fashion with Chiefs snatching a narrow 43–41 win.

Pre-Match Buzz

Head Coach Ryan Lamb named a strong side for the clash, acknowledging before kick-off:

“This will be a tough game and a real test for the boys, Chiefs have real quality.”

The excitement was clear from the moment gates opened at midday. Hundreds enjoyed the matchday experience, with the STORMFORCE Marquee hospitality in full swing for the first time this season. Among the guests were Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby Rob Baxter and Albion Managing Director Max Venables, highlighting the importance of the occasion for both clubs.

Co-captain Jack Oulton also spoke before the game, saying:

“We have been working on the mistakes from last week and looking ahead to today’s fixture. They are a young team, they will move well and be a quick team. This should be a good test.”

By kick-off the stands were full, with Albion red and green mixing with Chiefs black and white in a lively derby-style atmosphere.

First Half

Exeter wasted no time in showing their intent, racing into a 12–0 lead with two quick tries, including one from Sol Moody.

Albion answered through the pack, hooker Harry Wilkinson powering over from a lineout drive to get the hosts on the scoreboard. That score ignited momentum, and soon after Wilkinson crossed for his second before co-captain Dan Pullinger added another. With the conversions landed, Albion stormed ahead 17–12.

The visitors responded before half-time with a converted try to edge back in front 19–17 at the break.

Second Half

The second half continued at pace. Bobby Wigginton dashed down the wing for an early try to put Albion ahead once more, only for Chiefs to reply with a converted effort of their own to lead 26–22.

Wilkinson then completed his hat-trick with another powerful finish, converted by Frankie Dart, before Kyle Spear and Wigginton (his second) extended Albion’s advantage to 41–33.

With ten minutes to play, the Brickfields crowd was in full voice, sensing a big win against top opposition.

Late Drama

Head Coach Ryan Lamb rotated the bench late on, giving key players like Oulton a well-earned rest. But Exeter refused to back down, clawing back with a penalty before breaking from halfway in the final play of the game to score under the posts. The conversion sealed a dramatic 43–41 victory for the Chiefs.

Reaction

Afterwards, Lamb said:

“It was never about the result, we needed to work on mistakes from last week and we did that well. We executed set pieces well. We got a little disjointed at times but I can’t fault the effort. Harry Wilkinson had a great game but to be fair the whole front row really performed.”

Hat-trick hero Harry Wilkinson added:

“It was a positive game for us, we have been working hard all pre-season and we will continue to do so. Friday night we take on St Austell so are looking for more of the same.”

Final Word

Albion may have fallen just short on the scoreboard, but they can take great pride from a thrilling contest that showed progress, physicality, and creativity against one of the most talented young squads in English rugby.

Next up, Albion face St Austell on Friday night as pre-season preparations continue.

Secure your tickets by visiting plymouthalbion.com

Match Preview: Bishop’s Stortford vs Plymouth Albion

Saturday 20 September – Silver Leys, 3:00pm KO

Plymouth Albion are in action again this weekend, when they head north of the capital for what could be considered their first real test of the season. Albion will take on Bishop’s Stortford, a National One stalwart with real pedigree in the division.

Last season Stortford finished ninth in the league, a few spots behind Albion, and like Albion, they have strengthened considerably over the summer, bringing in seven new signings. Among them is Jai Johal, twin brother of Aman Johal, with whom he played at Nottingham Trent. Other arrivals include Tom Hitchcock, who last season played Championship rugby at Coventry, Harry Clarke, who featured in the England junior programmes and also played in Australia for Palmyra RFC, and James Roberts, another player with recent experience in Australia with the Alleygators.

Form Guide

Albion head into the fixture in great spirits after making a strong start to the campaign. Their season opener was an impressive 45–12 away win at Leeds, followed by a commanding 62–5 victory over Clifton at Brickfields last weekend. Both opponents were newly promoted, not to take away from Albion’s performances, but this weekend’s clash offers an altogether sterner test.

Bishop’s Stortford, meanwhile, have experienced a mixed start. They opened with a win over Birmingham Moseley before suffering a narrow defeat against Blackheath.

The two clubs met twice last season, with Albion taking the spoils on both occasions: a 39–20 win at Silver Leys and a hard-fought 24–21 victory at Brickfields. Across those games, Albion managed nine tries — and so far this season, they have already racked up seventeen tries in just two fixtures.

Team News

Head Coach Ryan Lamb has named an unchanged side from last week, showing faith in a group that has delivered two strong early-season performances.

Starting XV

Jenson Boughton
Harry Wilkinson
Dan Pullinger
Joel Broadhurst
Freddie Stevenson
Jake Clemson
Angus Hodges
Ben Moa
Jack Oulton
Harry Legg
Bobby Wigginton
Archie Hill
Oscar Stewart
Shea Cornish
Frankie Dart

Replacements

16. Gabe Mead

17. Liam Bishop

18. Jago Sheppard

19. Morgan Stone

20. Jack Statton

From the Coach

Coach Ryan Lamb said ahead of the game:

“It’s the first time I can remember us selecting the same side as the week before, so it’s nice to have a bit of consistency in that and I think it shows that the boys have put a couple of really good performances in and they deserve having the shirt at the moment.”

On this weekend’s opposition, Lamb added:

“They’ve had a good start and were unlucky to lose against Blackheath on the last play — Blackheath are a very good side. We know it’s going to be difficult up there. The last couple of seasons we’ve had a bit of success, but they’ve got a really strong four back, they’re well drilled, so defensively we’ll need to be on it. We’ve been pleased with our defensive set so far this season, so we’ve got to back it up away from home against a good side in Bishop’s.”

Match Preview: Rosslyn Park vs Plymouth Albion

Saturday 4 October – Priory Lane, 3:00pm KO

Plymouth Albion will be in action once again this weekend as they head to Surrey to take on fellow high flyers Rosslyn Park at Priory Lane.

Both sides have enjoyed flawless starts to the 2025/26 season, taking maximum points from their opening four games. Rosslyn have already notched wins over Birmingham Moseley, Tonbridge Juddians, and Dings Crusaders, three sides they would have expected to overcome. Perhaps more impressively, they handed Blackheath their only defeat of the season so far, edging a narrow opening-day victory.

Albion’s run of success has been equally commanding, with maximum points from all four matches. Their biggest test so far came away at Bishop’s Stortford — a side who had also pushed Blackheath close — where Albion put in a comfortable performance. Last weekend saw them dominate Leicester Lions, despite the visitors bolstering their squad with players from Leicester Tigers.

What has stood out most about Albion this season is their resilience when under pressure. Their defensive line has held firm during extended spells on the back foot, while in attack they have been clinical inside the twenty-two. Skipper Jack Oulton and co-captain Dan Pullinger have led from the front, while Ben Moa continues to drive the ball forward and Bobby Wigginton has shown a real hunger for tries. Oulton, Harry Legg, and Frankie Dart have all kicked effectively in open play, with Dart especially prolific from conversions.

Tale of the Tape

Albion average points scored per game: 45
Rosslyn average points scored per game: 38
Albion average points conceded per game: 13.5
Rosslyn average points conceded per game: 20.75

The numbers point in Albion’s favour — scoring more and conceding less — but Saturday promises to be the sternest test yet.

Danger Men

Rosslyn’s standout threat is winger Luke Mehson, formerly of Nottingham, Wasps, and London Scottish, who has already crossed for seven tries this season.

Albion, by contrast, have shared their try-scoring evenly across the team. Bobby Wigginton leads the way with four, while Jenson Boughton and Jack Oulton both have three. A further five players — spread across positions — have two tries each, showing the depth of Albion’s attacking options.

Team News

Head Coach Ryan Lamb has reverted to a squad similar to the one that beat Bishop’s Stortford, with Shea Cornish and skipper Dan Pullinger returning to the starting XV.

Starting XV

Jenson Boughton
Louie Gulley
Dan Pullinger (C)
Freddie Stevenson
Oscar Bekerleg
Jake Clemson
Angus Hodges
Ben Moa
Jack Oulton
Harry Legg
Bobby Wigginton
Archie Hill
Oscar Stewart
Shea Cornish
Frankie Dart

Replacements

16. Harry Wilkinson

17. Liam Bishop

18. Joel Broadhurst

19. Jago Sheppard

20. Iwan Jenkins

From the Coach

Head Coach Ryan Lamb said earlier this week:

“Rosslyn have always been a tough side at home. It hasn’t been a good hunting ground for us the last few seasons so it’s a really big challenge, but we hope to take the momentum of the last four games and go up there and get a result.”

Plymouth Albion were in action this weekend, away from home facing fellow high flyers Roslyn
Park. It was a top of the table clash between two sides that had remained unbeaten since the
start of the season, both teams boasting four wins and maximum points.
Last season the two teams enjoyed two close fought battles, both ending up in favour of the
home side Roslyn and prior to the fixture Albion’s Head Coach Ryan Lamb was well aware of
just how tough the fixture was going to be.
The game kicked off in Surrey at 15:00 and a healthy number of spectators were on hand to
witness the match, as well as some traveling Albion fans who made the long journey to Priory
Lane and despite their hopes of a successful trip, it was the home side that got off to an electric
start. Just two minutes into the game, and Charles Piper scored the first try for Roslyn to give
them a 5-0 lead. The score remained the same after the conversion attempt was missed and
again until two minutes from the end of the first half. The game became a battle of attrition, with
both sides having to hold a firm defensive line, Albion did hold a territorial advantage and came
close to the home sides try line, but a moment of lost discipline saw a penalty against Albion in
the thirty fifth minute and a yellow card for foul play sending Jenson Boughton temporarily to the
stands.
Pressure following the penalty pinned Albion back inside their own twenty two and three
minutes later, Roslyn broke through with a try from Thomas Stanton. Steffan James followed up
with the conversion, sending Roslyn into the half time interval with a 12-0 lead.
The first ten minutes of the first half continued to be a physical battle, with plenty of ebb and
flow. Both teams shared technical yellow cards as the game swung like a pendulum, both teams
trying to use their momentum to get them over the line. After forty six minutes and the visitors
got their first points on the board, when Frankie Dart sprinted over the line for Albion and added
the extra two points. Albion were back in the game and looking like a team on the hunt for more.
However, much to Albion’s dismay and perhaps against the run of play, Ben Marfo ran in for
Roslyn, giving the home side a huge advantage with less than twenty five minutes to go. James
managed another conversion and the lead stood at 19-7.
Albion now had it all to do and pushed forward to get back into the game. Despite coming close
to their opponents try line, the Roslyn defence held firm and at the sixty five minutes mark
turned the tide of the game, crashing over Albion’s line for their fourth try of the game, Charles
Mulcharone the scorer. James added the extra two giving them a 26-7 lead with less than
twenty minutes to go.
Ten minutes later, Ben Moa gave the traveling Albion fans a glimmer of hope as he scored
Albion’s second try of the game in trademark fashion, driving over the line with power and
precision. Frankie Dart then added the conversion kick and with just under ten minutes to play,
the gap was closed to 26-14.
Unfortunately for Albion the Roslyn defensive line proved too strong for the majority of the
afternoon. They were able to keep their visitors at bay for the final ten minutes. The home side
managed to break away in the dying minutes and were awarded a penalty right on the eighty
minute mark, which James converted with the last kick of the game. Final whistle 29-14 to
Roslyn Park.
Ben Moa was named man of the match for Albion, after another sterling performance and his
second nomination this season.
Head Coach Ryan Lamb summed the afternoon up for Albion post game, saying “Really proud
of the players’ efforts in very testing conditions. The penalty count and a few errors in good
positions cost us this afternoon. Congratulations to Roslyn Park on a good win, but we’ll
definitely look forward to the return fixture.”