PLYMOUTH Albion boss Graham Dawe hopes supporters will not write his team off after just one game.

A weakened Albion were crushed 51-3 at Bedford Blues on the opening day of the 2010/11 Championship season.

It was Albion's biggest defeat since they lost 55-6 at Rotherham in February 2003, with a team that included current Premiership players Dan Ward-Smith, Andy Perry, Will James and Olly Kohn.

Albion, who have had to start the new season without Kieran Hallett, Alex Davies, Keni Fisilau and Martin Rice, now have to pick themselves up to face Worcester's multi-million pound side at Brickfields this coming Saturday.

"It was not the ideal way to start the season," said a disappointed Dawe

(pictured top)

. "But you have to try and stay positive.

"Bedford are a tough side, especially when the sun is shinning, and they played very, very well."

Dawe, who saw Bedford score two tries while Ruairi Cushion was in the sin-bin early in the second half, added: "I know the players are aiming to stay positive.

"They did some good stuff on Saturday, but, obviously, they will be under pressure next week because of this scoreline.

"We are just hoping the players will respond in the right way."

When asked if he was worried people would write his team off after such a heavy loss, Dawe said: "Everybody has got a right to form their own opinion, but I am really, really positive about this squad.

"I think we can do some good things this year."

Playing Bedford away was always going to be a tough ask for Albion on the opening day without the experienced Rice and Fisilau, who are both injured.

But their task got even harder when they were unable to field a specialist fly-half.

Kieran Hallett was ruled out during the week after suffering a rare infection in his foot that left him needing hospital treatment and on crutches.

Then, to make matters worse, Albion had to pull Alex Davies out of the side due to a problem with his registration.

Davies had spent the summer playing for New Zealand side Green Island and needed international clearance to play again in England, but that did not arrive in time for Saturday's game.

"His clearance did not come through in time," said Dawe.

"We were pretty confident we were going to get it this week.

"He was selected because we thought it would come through.

"We did not expect it to be held up and hopefully we can get it sorted this week."

Dawe admitted Davies' paperwork problem was a blow after Hallett had already been ruled out.

"It's Sod's Law, isn't it?" said Dawe.

"But I thought Mark Lee did a great job coming in at 10 and Sione (Tu'ipulotu) worked his socks off and did well at 15."

Lee had been due to start at full-back with Tu'ipulotu at 12.

Instead Albion went with a new centre partnership of trialists Fionn McLoughlin and Cameron Mitchell.

Also making their league debuts were winger Johnny Coleman, hooker Gavin O'Meara and number eight Aaron Carpenter.

"I thought the new guys acquitted themselves well," said Dawe.

"With the switch around there was another new player in the team in Fionn and that is always a hard experience."

Albion had only been 8-3 down after 35 minutes but two late tries in the first half — one five minutes into injury-time — turned the game for Bedford.

"Bedford are a good turnover team and that try right on half-time killed the contest."

He added: "We just got turned over too easily at times and paid the price. But you have to give full credit to Bedford."

Dawe somehow has to pick up his side to face Worcester, who opened their season with a 48-3 win over Birmingham-Solihull.

"We need to reflect on this first," said Dawe.

"And then we will work with the squad this week.

"It is certainly going to be a challenge for the boys to take on a Worcester team with lots of quality and internationals in it."

LAUNCESTON, who recently went into liquidation, have been granted a temporary licence by the RFU to play in this season's National One. However, the club will start the new campaign with a 20 point deduction.