AFTER losing by 48 points at Bedford on the opening day of the season, hardly anyone was giving Plymouth Albion a hope of beating Worcester Warriors just seven days later.

The debate among some Worcester fans before the match was whether their team would follow Bedford's lead and score 50 points against Graham Dawe's side.

But Albion's players, clearly keen to prove a point after their opening day shocker at Goldington Road, had other ideas and nearly caused a shock that would have measured at least nine of the Richter scale at Brickfields on Saturday.

Albion led for nearly three quarters of this match and in the end Worcester were grateful to the boot of England fly-half Andy Goode, who kicked three penalties in the final quarter after coming on as a replacement.

The fact that Goode ended up going for long-range penalties, including one from his own half, showed how much Dawe's side had frustrated Worcester.

Albion took the lead after just three minutes with a great try and conversion from Alex Davies and then set about thwarting Worcester time after time.

And as the former Premiership side got more and more impatient, Albion's confidence increased and by the second half people inside the ground started to believe that maybe an upset was actually possible.

But in the end, Worcester's depth in their squad saw them home.

They were able to bring six internationals off the bench and they all played a big part in them heading back up the M5 with four points in the bag.

The arrival of Tongan front-rowers Aleki Lutui and Tevita Taumoepueau made a big difference to their scrum, while Goode's introduction in the second half gave the visitors the boost they needed. They were also able to bring on New Zealand lock Greg Rawlinson later on to strengthen their pack further.

Albion, though, deservedly earned themselves a bonus point for finishing within seven points and they also had the satisfaction of denying their visitors one.

Yet it looked like Goode was going to deny Albion the point they deserved when he kicked the third of his three penalties seven minutes from time to put his side 10 points in front.

But Albion dug deep and got into Worcester's 22 before earning a penalty on the left in the 79th minute.

It was in a difficult position, but Alex Davies stepped up to go for goal.

Davies, who had been forced to miss the Bedford game due to a problem with his registration after a loan spell in New Zealand, had not missed a kick at goal all afternoon and he made no mistake with this one to pull Albion back to within seven points.

Albion withheld a late rally from Worcester to hang on to that point, which was no more than they merited.

Davies, who collected all Albion's 19 points, put it brilliantly after the game when he said the team's performance on Saturday had regained them respect in the league after their hammering at Bedford.

Teams will once again be wary of Dawe's side.

Albion's coaching staff certainly deserve praise for the way they lifted their players after that result at Goldington Road.

The team looked full of confidence and belief as soon as they came out. They looked like the Albion side from last season that caused quite a few shocks.

So what was the difference between the team that was crushed by Bedford and the one that nearly beat Worcester?

Well, Albion, still missing the likes of Kieran Hallett, Keni Fisilau, Martin Rice and David Morton, did have a recognised fly-half again.

Davies came in and had a massive game, but his return also allowed Mark Lee to revert to full-back and, more importantly, enabled Sione Tu'ipulotu to go back to 12.

Tu'ipulotu was immense on Saturday. He tackled everything that moved and was also a powerful battering ram when Albion needed some go-forward.

He did pick up a yellow card for what the referee deemed a late tackle, but overall he was outstanding and set the tone for a brilliantly defensive display.

Albion's defence had let them down so badly at Bedford, but it was back to its best on Saturday, as was the home's side rucking.

At Bedford, Albion got turned over far too many times, but their physicality and aggression looked 10 times better on Saturday.

The only disappointment this week was their line-out, which was one of the things that did go right at Bedford.

But, overall, there were so many more positives and now they have to try to build on them for another tough match at Nottingham on Sunday.

They will no doubt like another start at Nottingham like they got on Saturday against Worcester.

Straight from kick-off Albion pressed Worcester and after Tu'ipulotu, Cameron Mitchell and Rory Watts-Jones had come close to scoring on the left, the home side switched play right and there was Davies in a perfect position to find a gap and score a try under the posts.

He converted to put Albion 7-0 up.

Worcester hit back nearly straight away with a try in the left corner by winger Miles Benjamin after a great break by Rob Higgitt, but Joe Carlisle could not add the conversion to pull his side level.

Davies then kicked two long-range penalties, one from the halfway line, to put Albion 13-5 up after 17 minutes.

But Benjamin scored a second try on 23 minutes after Albion had got turned over following a line-out. Carlisle did convert that try to pull the Warriors to within a point.

Worcester did finish the half strongly but could not get over the try line.

And the visitors' frustration grew after failing to get an early second half score.

Albion started the second period well, but it looked like their hopes had disappeared when Tu'ipulotu was sin-binned for a late tackle on former Albion player Tom Arscott in the 51st minute.

Goode, who had just come on, went for the long range penalty from the foul but missed.

And, despite being a man down, Albion actually increased their lead when Davies kicked a 59th minute penalty to put his side 16-12 up.

However, just before Tu'ipulotu was about to come back on Worcester's Benjamin went over in the left corner for his hat-trick — his first for the club.

Goode missed with the conversion, but then he went on to show his kicking class with three penalties in the 63rd, 65th and 73rd minutes.

But Albion threw on some fresh legs and they got back into Worcester's half with some great play before the visitors were penalised and Davies stepped up to secure his side a valuable point with a pin-point kick that Goode would have been proud of.