By stonehousealbion
April 22 2016

Albion welcome Hartpury College to Brickfields in our penultimate game of the season this weekend - and the final home fixture of 2015/16. It's been a tumultuous seven days with the high of a depleted team triumphing at Loughborough followed swiftly by the shocking "release" of Head Coach Graham Dawe and the arrival of an interim coaching team from up the A38. Half a season ago, in the run up to Christmas the team travelled to Gloucestershire after two hard-fought, but hardly resounding wins against Wharfedale and the Students to face their biggest challenge of the current campaign to date. In a tight game in the mid-winter gloom and darkness, they overcame Hartpury by dogged resilience and unrelenting focus, The shock to the home side at the final whistle was palpable. Today, they must accomplish the same - but with out the talismanic mentor and effective support team who have overseen the formation and development of this outstanding young squad.

The team have shown exceptional ability on the field as a diverse mixutre of C'ship-experienced "dads" have melded with a bunch of locally-recruited "kids" to become one of the leagues dark horses. It has been said that we were the fourth promoted side in September, given the mass exodus from last year. While we have ultimately not struggled like Henley and Hull Ionians, the rising arc of efficiency across the season has been plainly visible. Ultimately, we were "out-darked" by the final promoted side Ampthill and we should raise our hats to them in acknowledgement. But even the periodic reversals en route (Esher, Blackheath and Ampthill) can now be seen as positive learning experiences and used to good effect in the aftermath. Resurgam, indeed.

The trauma of GD's removal from the scene and the influence on team morale will be hard to gauge and is a further challenge to a collective that clearly has more in store. Graham is a changed man to the one who departed back in 2011 and I am sure he would agree that the instrument he has forged is capable of operating without his physical presence. But to do so without notice following the turbulence of administration and the looming uncertainty of the close season is a massive ask. A new off the field leadership structure and the murmurings of the media (this forum included) cannot be beneficial. That is why the squad deserve our fervent and wholehearted support this afternoon. They have produced for us all season, now is the time to repay the debt.

Hartpury have managed to retain a limpet-like grip on second place in the table. But in spite our our administrative (ahem!) sanction of -30 points, we have exactly the same overall statistics; played 28, won 20. For all their efficiency at home, they have been more vulnerable on the road overall in this campaign. That said, they ran the champions very close last week (Hartpury RFC Match Report) - they most definitely are NOT a bunch of college kids subject to car-sickness! (Their own preview of today's game is also worth a read: HCRFC Preview) As one might expect, the online opinion is heavily against us - understandably. But now is not a time for going with the neutral flow - heart, not head today, folks. The highlight of my patchy prediction performance this season was being the sole proponent of an Albion victory on rolling-maul.com - and nailing the specific 1-4 points shareout, to boot. I would be failing myself, our departed leader and the team not to back a win today, with the same respective points.

It's a curious thing that this pivotal fixture should fall on St George's Day - which is also the birthday and anniversary of the demise of the Bard. Possibly, Shakespeare's most stirring speech was that of Henry V befor the Battle of Agincourt:

"But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

Noble sentiments for the team and supporters. Tinker with this as you like, but also remember the earlier speech in the play,

"Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry, 'God for Harry, England (Albion?), and Saint George!"

Amongst talk of boycotts and the like, are you going to be "a-bed" or a-Brickfields?

Here's the full fixture list: 

Sat 23 Apr

Blaydon v Darlington Mowden Park   14:30   Crow Trees

Cinderford v Henley   15:00   Beavis Memorial Ground

Coventry v Ampthill   15:00   Butts Park Arena

Esher v Blackheath   15:00   Molesey Road

Fylde v Wharfedale   15:00   Woodlands Memorial Ground

Hull Ionians v Loughborough Students   15:00   Brantingham Park

Plymouth Albion v Hartpury College   15:00   Brickfields

Richmond v Rosslyn Park   15:00   Richmond Athletic Ground

National League 1 - 2015-6 Wk 29

Discussion started by Unofficial Plymouth Albion (IP Logged), 23/04/2016 08:10

Unofficial Plymouth Albion
23/04/2016 08:10

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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ianbol
23/04/2016 08:47

A super, great preview.

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hills22
23/04/2016 09:26

Quote:

ianbol
A super, great preview.

Agreed. Best of luck Albion. Ending a fine season on home turf.

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