Albion halt two-game losing run as Setter sparkles

Plymouth A .... 29 Esher .................. 7

PLYMOUTH Albion bounced back from an early scare to run out comfortable winners over Esher in their first home game of 2017.

Esher’s Cameron Gentles stretched over the whitewash to dot down next to the posts after just two minutes, the conversion neatly dispatched by fly-half Paul Roberts.

But Plymouth responded eight minutes later when full-back Matthew Shepherd raced over the try line after a long-range pass from Exeter Chiefs loanee Will Hooley, who missed his own conversion.

As the home side grew into the game, Esher struggled to keep Albion at bay and the visitors’ Tom Yellowless was sent to the bin for a professional foul on the cusp of half time.

Hooley slotted an easy chip shot from the resulting penalty to make it 8-7 at the interval.

And Plymouth started fast in the second period, with scrum-half Cameron Setter jinking his way through the Esher defence to score a converted try after 60 seconds.

A penalty try in the 54th minute then left Albion just one try short of the bonus point they craved and extended the lead to 22-7.

And Setter bagged his brace a few minutes later to earn Albion a deserved bonus, the scrum-half crossing in the corner after a quick offload from Albion captain Herbie Stupple, to seal the Plymouth win and halt their two-game losing streak.