By Frank Stormont
December 17 2006

Match Report - Albion achieve their bonus point before the half hour is up. They use all their replacements and play the wide game but allow Otley to come back in the last 10 minutes to score 3 tries and claim a bonus point. Both sides have something to celebrate!  

Albion 52 Otley 20

Albion move into 2nd place in the table at least for 24 hours with their 52 points to 20 win over Otley. Sila and Francesco make their debut starts and what a start it was for Sila with a try in the first 5 minutes.

Albion controlled the match for a good 70 minutes but allowed Otley to come back and gain their try bonus point with the last play of the match.

Albion started the match showing that they wanted to win and win well and within 4 minutes of the start Ed Barnes made good progress towards the line but on passing  to Nat Saumi for a certain try the referee spotted a forward pass and the play was called back.

Before 5 minutes were up another move started by Ed Barnes, Sila Va'Enuku was at the end of the move and scored under the posts. This must have been one of the fastest debut start tries for Albion if not the league. With Wihan Neethling out with a pinned thumb Regardt van Eyk took on the kicking duties and slotted his first conversion of the match.

Just 2 minutes later Ed Barnes was again at the centre of the play when he sent a long pass over the heads of Albion players for Tom Arscott to just gather before making progress towards the try line.  Although he did not make it all the way this time the next play saw the pack cross the Otley line and with Ed Lewsey having his hands on the ball. Regardt kicked the extras making the score 14 - 0 and only 8 minutes on the clock

Albion made several long runs in an attempt to increase the score. It was not until Otley number 8 had been sin binned that Tom Arscott was on the end of the move that took him over in the right corner to score his 4th of the season. This time the try was not converted by Regardt as the ball goes to the left of the posts.

With Otley clearing the ball into the centre of the pitch, the ball was collected by Federico Genoud which he then took to the opposition passing to Richard Oxley on the 22 who then left over to secure a bonus point and score his 7th try of the season. Back on form Regardt took the score onto 26 - 0.

With 38 minutes on the clock the Albion backs were on a mission, Ed Barnes passed out to Sila just inside the Otley half who made a run for the line before passing to Regardt to score and convert.

As the teams went into the changing rooms at half time it was just possible that the record of the highest score Albion had made in a match back in 1997 against Charlton Park of 73 could be beaten. Albion had dominated the game and played using their backs fast high and wide.  Although Otley made a number of attempts and did on occasion break through the first line of defence they were quickly caught and the ball overturned.

With just 9 minutes into the second half and a lineout to Albion a few metres out on the right the ball was played off the top of the lineout to Ed Lewsey.  Ed took the opportunity and side stepped three defenders before touching to get his second try of the match.

With 12 minutes gone Tom Arscott who had been seen limping earlier was replaced by Nigel Cane who moved to his normal position and Ed Lewsey went out to the wing. Followed shortly by substitutions with Dave Delaney and James Owen coming on for Ed Barnes and Richard Oxley.

With Otley still playing the game they made advances on Nat Saumi and kicked the ball over his head before Danny Smith chased the ball down to score in the corner to score their first points. The conversion was not made.

With 21 minutes on the clock Arran Cruickshanks, Brett Stroud and Tim Mathias were on the pitch. Soon after a play that seemed to involve all players on the pitch including Colin Stewart twice Albion almost made it to the line but at the breakdown the ball went forward.

Nic Sestaret had to wait until the 37th minute of the half before  he scored a try which was converted by Dave Delaney. Nic had not been given very many chances in the first half but he was determined that he would not be left out in this 7 try win.

Otley had a chance to score in the corner but the last man this time was Francisco Deformes who took the attacking player into the corner flag. All was not lost for Otley as the resultant lineout went against the head  with Brendan Back going over the line from the back of the line for an easy 5 points.

With 3 minutes left on the clock Albion won the line out on the Otley 5 metre line and prepared for a catch and drive move that initially went back 4 or 5 metres before Albion took control and pushed the Otley defence over their own line and Nic Sestaret had his hands on the ball for his second of the match and 13th of the season. Despite the angle Dave Delaney kicked his second conversion to bring the score to 52 - 10.

With the clock ticking away the seconds some people had started to leave, they thought it was all over.... but it wasn't. 

With Sila down injured the only replacement left being Scott Zimmerman he came on into the flanker position with Danny Thomas moving out to inside centre. 

With all the confusion Otley's number 8 broke through the Albion defence to score. Otley then made a decision that would end up with them walking away with a bonus point, they declined the opportunity to convert. With no time left Otley new they must attack straight from the restart and that is what they did running the ball into the corner in the final play of the game and taking the score to 52 - 20. Otley had achieved only their third try bonus point of the season.

With the match won early in the game it gave a chance for the replacements to really get the feel of the ground possible for the first time this season. Ex Albion squad member Alister Livesey played most of the match and was clapped off when he was replaced in the second half.

When Sila Va'Enuku was replace in the dying minutes of the match he was treated to a Mexican wave style applause as he hobbled back around the pitch to the rest of the bench. 

Albion played well, but will need to step up the pressure again when they travel across the water next Saturday to play Cornish Pirates.

The two men of the match were Ed Lewsey and Federico Genoud who hopefully will not have to share the bottle of gin.

Don't forget that you too can vote in the alllbion man of the match which last home against Waterloo was won, by one vote, by Colin Stewart.

Team: Nat Saumi, Tom Arscott, Regardt van Eyk, Sila Vaenuku, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Ed Lewsey, Martin Rice, Richard Oxley, Francisco Deformes, Colin Stewart, Tom Hayes, Federico Genoud, Danny Thomas, Chris Lowrie Replacements: Nigel Cane(used), David Delaney(used), Arran Cruickshanks(used), Brett Stroud(used), Scott Zimmerman(used), Tim Mathias(used), James Owen(used)

Scorers :- Tries 2xEd Lewsey, 2xNic Sestaret, Regardt van Eyk, Richard Oxley, Sila Vaenuku, Tom Arscott Conversions 2xDavid Delaney, 4xRegardt van Eyk