By Oliver Norman
Sponsored by Albi Travel
Plymouth Albion had to fight hard to win away 13-18 at Old Albanians, with two second-half tries from centre pairing Dean Squire and Harry Strong proving the difference.
Albion drop down to third on 67 points, tied with second-placed Ampthill in National One.
OA’s got the game underway in frigid but sunny conditions and were immediately under the cosh.
Kieran Hallett’s men were left frustrated when didn’t turn possession and territory into more points, they settled for a well-struck penalty from fly-half Will Hooley in the 10th minute to open the visitor’s account 0-3.
The home side, lead by ex-Albion Head Coach James Shanahan, started to impose their game plan after the opening score.
This swing in momentum allowed them to mount their first serious attack but, similarly to Albion, they were unable to find the final pass and settled for a long-range penalty kick from full-back Ben Palmer, 3-3.
Palmer followed it up in the 31st minute to give the Hertfordshire side a narrow lead.
A scrum penalty from referee Dean Richards, gifting a Palmer an easy three points right in front of the posts on the Albion 22, 6-3.
Plymouth snapped back into action following the penalty, ending the half the way they started it by controlling the field from the foot of Hooley.
As the half drew to a close, Albion huffed and puffed looking for the opening try of the afternoon.
Unfortunately, the momentum was lost when referee Richards blew up for crossing, allowing OA’s to kick into touch; leaving the scores on 6-3 at the break.
Plymouth were first back onto the field following half-time and started fast and furious.
The Albion pack managed to shunt the hosts clean off the ball at the scrum and relieve any pressure Old Albanian could muster.
Ten minutes later Hooley took the points on offer in the 51st minute, slotting another kick midway inside the Albanian’ half to restore parity.
This kicked Albion into gear following the restart.
Albion centre Dean Squire was the fastest to respond to a driven kick, for his first try of the season, sliding into the far corner.
Hooley dispatched the conversion to make the scores 6-13.
Following the try both sides managed to blunt each other’s attacks with bludgeoning hits and gang tackling, in what was proving to be a fairly equal second-half encounter.
However it was OA’s turn to score an opportunistic try next, right wing Nick Foster slipped through a chink in the Albion line and raced away to haul back Plymouth’s lead.
Palmer made it 13-13 to leave the game on tender hooks with ten minutes to run, in a game which felt like the next score would win it.
Fortunately for the Devonport side it was Harry Strong, who lived up to his name by powering over to score an unconverted try and earn four crucial points for Albion; 13-18.
Only Herbie Stupple’s yellow card for not retiring 10 meters in the 78th minute left the final result in question but Old Albanians were unable to make the man advantage pay in the dying seconds, allowing Plymouth to return to Devon with a well-earned victory.
Old Albanian RFC
Palmer, Pritchard, Dowsett, Lombaard (Capt), Foster, Shanahan, Thompson; King, Taylor, Garside, Bickle, Hamilton, Lunnon, Stevens, Daish
Walliker, Boggis, Billows, Gliksten, Bednall
T: Foster 67
P: Palmer 24, 31
C: Palmer 68
Plymouth Albion RFC
Shepherd, Crosscombe, Squire, Strong, Wedlake, Hooley, Setter; Norton, Freestone, Keast, Dacres, Prisk, Williams, Cooper, Stupple (Capt)
Nixon, Cowan-Dickie, Mills, Powell
T: Squire 52, Strong 72
P: Hooley 10, 51
C: Hooley 53,73