Club tropicana? Not!

By stonehousealbion
March 13 2016

After another 6N break and two week rest-up for the boys, it's back to league rugby again. And this time it's serious - really serious. We'll be looking to avenge the larraping Blackheath dished out on a cold Saturday afternoon last November. Marc Kotezcky has pronounced it "biggest match of the season so far" and you can see he's hurting from the one game suspension that was dished out after this red card at the Henley game. The thing is, it's going to be followed by a series of even bigger challenges as we head toward the biggest of the lot on the final day of the season - away at Richmond Athletic Ground.

Cast your eye over the Nat 1 table/fixture list and you'll see we have games with three out of the four teams above us (two away) and one (at home) with a team fighting for survival in this division. It's a real pressure cooker - the lid has been firmly screwed down and the gas turned up...

Blackheath have turned out to be this season's dark horse at Level 3. Steeped in rugby history and recently habitual mid-table finishers, their coaching and squad has really come together this year. And their ambition - they have announced plans to move from the iconic, but leased Rectory Field to Well Hall (which they own) to take charge of their destiny. They also hosted last week's England Counties game which drew a couple of thousand through the turnstiles. The fly in the ointment for them is poor form over the last month or so. They've been through the wringer with top drawer opponents and only got LBPs in low-scoring games against front runners. The wheels haven't come off exactly, but they've had some creaking spokes and a dodgy bearing. A point ahead in the standings, twenty more game points scored, but the tightest defence in the division. If you're looking for an ominous omen, the leading scorer for Club is a certain Freddie Gabitass...

Looking bad for us? Not really. Switching to Prem football manager mode, it's just a question of doing what we been doing all season - taking each game on it's merits, learning from our mistakes, taking absolutely nothing for granted and playing who's in front of us. The arc of progression of this team has been astounding and the lads have been phenomenal under pressure. Twenty minutes in against the Hawks and a man off? Focus, regroup, turn the screw and scoop the pot. Trailing up North and on the wrong end of a yellow? Calm down, take stock and play the long game; hat trick for Herbie - job done. You might want to argue that we don't quite have our first choice XV, but when do we? We certainly have enough talented, stand up guys starting and on the bench to pull this one off. Score reversal from the autumn? Forget it - it will be blood, sweat and tears out there this afternoon. I reckon we can do the job, but wouldn't bet on a 4T bonus - although the visitors may well come away with a consolation point.

Today's game is the St Luke's charity event which always pulls in a good few. Expect it to be busy on the gate and in the bars and food outlets. Looks like the sunshine may have escaped us, but it won't be too breezy. Wrap up a bit, get there early, pace yourselves and stay on for the finale of the Six Nations. Albion win and England Grand Slam? Buy a 50/50 ticket(s) and go for the triple!

Elsewhere, the game of note is the fixture at Richmond where the leaders could well ruin Ampthill's afternoon. Here's the full fixture list:

Sat 19 Mar

Loughborough Students v Rosslyn Park 14:00 UoL Stadium

Hartpury College v Wharfedale 14:30 College Stadium

Coventry v Cinderford 15:00 Butts Park Arena

Esher v Blaydon 15:00 Molesey Road

Fylde v Henley 15:00 Woodlands Memorial Ground

Hull Ionians v Darlington Mowden Park 15:00 Brantingham Park

Plymouth Albion v Blackheath 15:00 Brickfields

Richmond v Ampthill 15:00 Richmond Athletic Ground

National League 1 - 2015-6 Wk 25

Discussion started by Unofficial Plymouth Albion (IP Logged), 13/03/2016 12:13

Unofficial Plymouth Albion
13/03/2016 12:13

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stonehousealbion
19/03/2016 09:07

Apologies for late delivery and blank page for most of this week.

Come cheer up, my lads - 'tis to glory we steer!

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