Albion dig deep to make it three wins out of four

Moseley...22 Plymouth Albion...24

PLYMOUTH Albion made it three wins out of four, but it was another close match for Nat Saumi's side.

All four of Albion's games this season have been decided by just one score and, for the second week running, the Brickfields club were again grateful to the boot of fly-half Paul Roberts.

Roberts did not miss a kick, unlike Moseley's Ollie Thomas, who missed a penalty and a conversion.

The win was Albion's first away from home and will have given them confidence after last year having to wait to April to claim a victory on their travels.

Sam Hocking continued his impressive try scoring form by adding two more at Billesley Common to take his tally for the season to five, with Paul Bailey adding Albion's other try against Moseley, who also scored three tries.

Albion were forced to make three changes to their team that beat Leeds the week before.

Louis Messer, Tom Bowen and Lloyd Fairbrother were injured so they were replaced by Henry Slade, fit-again Paul Roberts and David Morton.

Albion were still without Aaron Carpenter, Rhodri McAtee and long-term absentee Herbie Stupple.

Moseley included former Plymouth lock Addison Lockley in their starting line-up and ex-Albion fly-half Brad Davies on their bench.

Moseley, fresh from their first win over the season at Jersey last week, took the lead in the eighth minute.

Albion were turned over at a line-out on their own 22 and Moseley pressed. It looked like the danger had gone after Moseley miss-placed a pass on the right but England Sevens player Simon Hunt picked up the loose ball and he chipped over Albion's defence and gathered to score with no one back for the visitors. Ollie Thomas added the conversion.

That try seemed to give Moseley confidence and for 15 minutes after that they looked really lively and dangerous.

Albion had not really been in the home side's 22 but they got the chance when Moseley gave away a penalty and Nat Saumi's side went for the corner and got another penalty to secure a five-metre line-out.

From it Albion drove and Sam Hocking was there to get the ball down for his fourth try in four games. Roberts converted to tie the match.

But Moseley hit back almost immediately with a Thomas penalty.

It looked like Moseley might go in at the break narrowly in front, but the home side gave away another silly penalty and Albion took advantage again to get in their 22 and score again with Hocking – his fifth of the season. Roberts convert d to make it 14-10.

Just before the break Thomas had the chance to pull Moseley to within a point with a penalty but he narrowly missed.

Albion did increase their lead to seven points five minutes after the break after Moseley had centre Charlie Hayter sin-binned for blocking Toby Howley-Berridge.

But for the next 20 minutes the game belonged to Moseley. They wasted three good chances to score a try, including a gilt-edged opportunity by Ollie Thomas, who dropped the ball right on the line with no one in front of him.

That came after Albion had lock Brett Beukeboom sin-binned for pulling down a maul.

Moseley were dangerous with their mauls and it was not too much of a surprise that their second try came from one with Craig Voisey getting the ball down in the 69th minute.

Fortunately, for Albion, Thomas missed the conversion so Saumi's side were still in front but only by two points.

Moseley did look for a winning score but it looked like Albion had won the game in the 80th minute when against the run of play Paul Bailey ran in behind the posts after earlier good play by Jack Arnott and Sean-Michael Stephen.  Roberts added the easy conversion.

But referee decided there was plenty of added on time and four minutes into it Moseley were awarded a penalty try after another good maul to make it 24-22.

There was still time for one more play, but eventually Moseley knocked on and Albion's fans and players let out a big shy of relief.

 

Moseley: Ollie Thomas, Simon Hunt, Greg King, Charles Hayter, Williams Robinson, Glyn Hughes, Sam Brown, Charles Meddick, Adam Caves, Craig Voisey, Addison Lockley, Buster Lawrence, Neil Mason, Ben Pons, Ben Pienaar. Reps: Sam Wilkes, Nigel Burrows, David Hilton, Ollie Robinson, Alex Day, Brad Davies, Brad Hunt.

Albion: Henry Slade, Paul Bailey, Toby Howley-Berridge, Bevon Armitage, Jack Arnott, Paul Roberts, Ruairi Cushion, Jack Andrew, Jon Vickers, David Morton, Brett Beukeboom, Ien Ascoft-Leigh, Rupeni Nasiga, Sam Hocking, Sean-Michael Stephen. Reps: Paul Rowley, Lewis Warner, Wayne Sprangle, Ryan Hopkins, Tom Cowan-Dickie, Harrison Tovey, Keni Fisilau.

Referee: Ian Tempest (RFU)

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