Albion off the mark after registering their first win
ENTERING their sixth fixture of the National League One campaign, it would have taken a brave Albion supporter to predict a home win.
Visitors to The Brickfields, Birmingham Moseley, had four wins to Albion’s zero and boasted a strong team including former Premiership star Ashley Johnson in their XV.
Fortunately for the Ocean City faithful, Damian Welch’s team had not read the script and took the honours with a convincing 34-12 win.
After a mauling at Cinderford last week, Albion took to the game with a renewed vigour to the warm applause of another bumper Brickfields attendance. With no wind, unseasonably warm weather and a few new faces in the team, Albion controlled the first period of the game with probing attacks spanning the width of the pitch.
Outside backs Shea Cornish and Frankie Nowell were especially threatening as the Midlanders’ defence was continually tested on either edge. Up front, the arrival of Cornish reinforcements Will Gibson and Edd Scragg were also proving very useful with Scragg particularly impressive generalling what had been a malfunctioning line-out.
After the visitors repelled a series of well-orchestrated line-out drives by illegal means, Ashley Johnson was sin-binned. Against 14 men, it didn’t take long for the pack to conspire to drive over Will Gibson for a debut try.
Soon after that, fine interplay between backs and forwards saw Tom Putt canter in for his first try of the day. He converted both tries and added a penalty for a 17-0 half-time score.
Albion emerged for the second half in no mood to capitulate as they had a Bishops Stortford four weeks earlier.
The pattern of the first half continued with Albion’s startling multiphase rugby dominating proceedings. As ever, the warhorse (and recently announced recipient of a Testimonial) Herbie Stupple was at the heart of the packs endeavour while the Polynesian Powerhouses, Jeremy To’a and Setareki Raumakita were certainly making inroads through the middle. Indeed, it was from a break by the Fijian Marine that led to the best try of the game.
Taking an outside line around halfway, he drifted past his opposite man feeding Cornish flyer Alex Ducker who took the play into the opposition 22. Some sharp handling and powerful carries led to Putt finding space on the touchline to squeeze in and score the try that settled the result.
There was still time for Birmingham Moseley to score a couple of consolations but, as they chased the game, the familiar face of Dan Pullinger (on his return after five weeks out with a foot injury) latched onto a loose pass to score a very popular interception.
Brickfields erupted as the bonus was secured, the team moved off the bottom of the table and a very late night was guaranteed for the faithful!
Speaking after the game, Welch was full of praise for the out of position Putt. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Putty stepping into a role that if he’s honest isn’t one he particularly enjoys and performing so well in a winning display,” he said. “I thought his kicking was excellent and he was a real driver for the team and thoroughly deserved his Man of the Match.
“It’s been a five-game learning curve building up to this game with parts of a performance in evidence each week. With a young squad, it was always going to take time to knit all those parts together and I’m really proud of the boys for sticking with the project and a bonus point was a fitting reward for all their efforts.”
With games against teams close to them at the foot of the table in the next few weeks, there is real optimism about the Brickfields that a winning run could be on the cards.
Welsh concluded: “The challenge for us now is to continue to build upon this win next week. We realise there is still plenty to work on and there is the potential for a lot of progress in this squad which is extremely exciting. Hopefully the boys can take confidence from this and lead us well into next week.”