By stonehousealbion
November 27 2013

After losing the lead in a game we were widely expected to win, Albion face a much tougher prospect in the shape of Rotherham Titans this week. Brickfields echoed to the sound of booing after the final whistle of last Friday’s game - a frustrating, fruitless enterprise with a long list of injuries to boot. Head coach James Shanahan has had to endure the humiliation of issuing “worst performance this season” statements two weeks in succession. As we approach the break for the second tranche of B&I games, can the engine be tweeked to fire on all eight instead of stalling and spluttering?

Rotherham (currently third in the C’ship) are a changed team from the outfit of old. Having endured two changes of coach in 2012/13, they appear to have discarded the Bester “mailed fist” approach and are playing a much more open game.  A large number of signings from across the spectrum (including ex-PARFC favourite Alfie To’ala) over the summer complimented the change at the top. While this has brought success in the league table, it is not without cost in yellow cards and penalties. At times they appear to be remarkably similar to Albion in blowing hot and cold. Posting a hatful against luckless Ealing early on, they were fortunate not to repeat our fate against Nottingham last week; hanging on to a 17-11 lead while down to 13 men.

 Here is the full fixture list:

Fri 29 Nov

Plymouth Albion v Rotherham Titans      19:45     Brickfields

Sat 30 Nov

Jersey v Ealing Trailfinders           14:30     St Peter

Bedford Blues v London Welsh  15:00     Goldington Road

London Scottish v Moseley          15:00     Richmond Athletic Ground

Sun 01 Dec

Nottingham v Cornish Pirates     15:00     Meadow Lane

Bristol Rugby v Leeds Carnegie  15:15     Memorial Ground

If any team offers Ealing a chance to break the duck, it should be Jersey – but that’s a big ask away from home. Welsh may be unbeaten, but they don’t seem to show the assurance of their clean sheet. The meeting at Bedford would have been a top pick last year, this time around it’s merely “Let’s see if the shock at Albion was a flash in the pan”. Elsewhere, the quest for consistency continues. Pirates (our next league opponents on Boxing Day), although fresh from a brace of wins over Bristol, will take nothing for granted at Nottingham.  Finally, a solid bet for a preview of some kind of a play-off fixture is surely taking place at the Memorial.

Fancy a punt on how they will all pan out? Check out the form and post then below.

Link to league table: http://clubs.rfu.com/Fixtures/MatchByDivision.aspx?DivID=189321646

Championship 13/14 – Round 10

Discussion started by Unofficial Plymouth Albion (IP Logged), 27/11/2013 10:26

Unofficial Plymouth Albion
27/11/2013 10:26

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HitR
27/11/2013 17:24

Perversely, After chucking away leads in all our home games, this is one we'll probably win.

Against all the odds....

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beerbarian1
28/11/2013 09:12

Fri 29 Nov

Plymouth Albion v Rotherham Titans 19:45 Brickfields

Sat 30 Nov

Jersey v Ealing Trailfinders 14:30 St Peter

Bedford Blues v London Welsh 15:00 Goldington Road

London Scottish v Moseley 15:00 Richmond Athletic Ground

Sun 01 Dec

Nottingham v Cornish Pirates 15:00 Meadow Lane

Bristol Rugby v Leeds Carnegie 15:15 Memorial Ground

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stonehousealbion
29/11/2013 23:26

With apologies to our antipodean readers, here is tonight's result:

Plymouth Albion 17 - 28 Rotherham Titans

Not the tale of woe against Bedford, but a familiar story of what might have been - 16 points off the boot went begging (mostly with the wind behind us!) and what looked like a penalty try warning apparently ceded to no effect. On the plus side, we were a much better side against better opposition and rallied for a consolation try in the dying moments.

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

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stonehousealbion
30/11/2013 22:14

OMG! Check out the scores from this afternoon:

Jersey 18 - 28 Ealing Trailfinders

Bedford Blues 28 - 26 London Welsh

London Scottish 38 - 17 Moseley

Still at 7th - albeit with Beds a whole deal closer. Table to follow tomorrow.

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

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noibla
01/12/2013 17:36

After a number of surprise results this weekend this is what the table looks like.


[www.bbc.co.uk]

Semper Sersum.

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North End Rambler
01/12/2013 18:41

Looking at how Bedford and Nottingham have come out of this round it brings into perspective the nature and relevance of Albion's recent 'failures' against them. Without lighting any great fires they are both sides clearly coming into form.
Looking up the table we see that current second and third teams could, and many would say should, have been beaten by Albion.
The first conclusion I would draw from this is that a major determining factor in how teams are going to perform in the coming rounds is form.
Clearly Albion are struggling to find top form at the moment. I hope that a couple of week's away from the demands of the league, albeit against probably strong opposition, will allow the players to regain their mojo and to regain some confidence. They have the ability, they just need the rub of the green to go their way.

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stonehousealbion
01/12/2013 18:50

Results from today:

Nottingham 27 - 27 Cornish Pirates

Bristol Rugby 22 - 28 Leeds Carnegie

Notts draw with the final kick of the game. On current form we have to plan on full-bore for a full 80 minutes on Boxing Day...

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

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