CAPTAIN Aaron Carpenter was convinced Plymouth Albion should have had a second try awarded on Saturday against Nottingham.

The Canadian international scored Albion's only try in the dying minutes of the game to close the gap on Nottingham to just two points, but Carpenter felt Paul Roberts should have had one in the 57nd minute.

That was the second effort referee Darren Gamage had disallowed for Albion, having earlier ruled that Dan Collier had knocked on as he crossed.

"I was having trouble with the ref," admitted skipper Carpenter. "And it does get frustrating.

"I think you should ref towards the team playing the most attractive rugby. We were playing the more attractive rugby and the go-forward rugby, but they (Nottingham) were getting a lot of the calls."

On Roberts' effort, Carpenter said: "He (the referee) brought it back for advantage for no reason. He did not give a reason (for disallowing it).

"Paul Roberts scored a try and he just brought it back and we were forced to take three points."

On the overall game, Carpenter said: "In the first half I thought we had the lion's share of possession and we had them under extreme pressure, but all credit to Nottingham for coming away with us only getting three points.

"I thought we could take them in the scrum after they'd just had a man sent to the bin, but it did not work out that way. One of their forwards kicked the ball out of the scrum on their line, which is illegal, but the ref did not see it. So they were let off some pressure there."

He added: "They got two lucky tries (first half). We said: 'how did we let them score those tries so easily'.

"They just came from mental errors by individuals. One bad scrum and they were under the posts."

Carpenter admitted there were some strong words said in the Albion dressing room at half-time.

"We got a bit of a rollicking at half-time, which lit the fire under us," said Carpenter.

"The positives were we played so well into a tough wind (second half) and kept to it. We did not give up at any point.

"Nottingham are a top table team and we just have to take what we can out of it and keep playing the rugby that we are playing, but just be more clinical – get the points when we can and come away with wins.

"We are experimenting right now. We know we can play good rugby and that's what we are trying to do right now."

This coming weekend Albion head to relegation rivals Esher, who yesterday beat Leeds away, for their final regular league match of the season.

Carpenter admits that is one game Albion definitely want to win.

"It is a big one," said the Canadian. "It is a two point game, we know that. It is going to give us one point if we win and not allow them to get another point for the play-offs.

"It is also about having a mental advantage in the play-offs.

"We know Esher are fighting an uphill battle and we want to keep them as far down as we can."

After spending a number of weeks on the bench in at the end of December and in January, Carpenter has started Albion's last three matches. He is now hoping he has done enough to keep his place for the play-offs.

"This is time everyone wants to be playing," he said. "In the play-offs everything is on the line.

"You want your best 15 guys out there on the pitch.

"It is going to be interesting and there's going to be a lot of battling for spots in the play-offs.

"But I'm sure Nat will make the right decisions about personnel in the team."