Twos-up for Hudson and Parker in routine beating of Albanian

INSPIRED try-double performances from Harry Hudson and Charles Piper saw Rosslyn Park down Old Albanian at Priory Lane.

Having dominated the majority of the game through a mix of wellexecuted set plays, Rosslyn Park showed they meant business in what was set to be an evenly fought midtable clash.

A series of missed tackles within Old Albanian’s own half saw No. 8, Hugo Ellis storm over the line to open the scoring for the home side in the eighth minute.

Fly-half Harry Leonard comfortably slotted through his first of four successful kicks of the afternoon – including a faultless conversion record.

Only six minutes later, flanker Harry Hudson latched onto quick ball in the opposition 22 and broke through the defensive line into free space, making light work of the Albanian defensive effort and giving Rosslyn Park their second of the match.

OA did however manage to slow the play down through pick and drives off the back of the rucks as they looked to improve their lethargic start.

And they made the most of Rosslyn’s slow reactions after conceding a penalty, with Sam Lunnon alertly taking a quick tap and finding himself in the clear to go under the posts for Old Albanian’s opening try.

The second half brought about a quiet patch in play,

which was broken in the 66th minute through an interception from Albanian’s Nicholas Foster, who showed his blistering pace down the left flank for a try, evening out the affair.

However, six minutes later Charles Piper collected the ball off the back of a Rosslyn ruck and barged over the line to reopen the lead to seven points. A penalty from Old Albanian full-back Benjamin Palmer momentarily lessened the gap, but a collapsed scrum on their own try line just after the restart lead to the pick and dive from Hudson that gave him his second of the game.

With only three minutes to play, more sloppy Albanian tackling among the backs allowed Piper a free run over the tryline for his second of the day, a score which closed the game in style.

The win for Park meant they remained in seventh in the league, keeping pace with Coventry and staying just two points behind the Midlands side.

And Old Albanian remain in ninth spot, two points behind Loughborough Students but now trailing their conquerors by 11.