HOOKER James Owen played through the pain barrier to help Albion claim their first win in four matches.

Owen had missed the last two matches with nerve damage to his elbow.

He had not trained properly for three weeks and was not really fit enough to play, but he agreed to start against Nottingham after Joe Clark was ruled out with a neck and shoulder injury and youngster Rupert Freestone was also out with a back problem.

In the end Owen managed 45 minutes before being replaced first by prop Danny Porte and then later Graham Dawe, who had not played a league game since nearly breaking his neck against Leeds in April.

"I was a bit sore," admitted Owen. "The injury could have probably done with another week, but the management and the guys asked me if I would give it as long as I could and I managed just over 40 minutes.

"I did it for the guys. They would have done it for me. That is the way it goes in professional sport sometimes – you just have to get out there and do it.

"The decision on who would start at hooker was only made in the morning.

"Joe (Clark) was pretty sore as well, but fair play to him he came in on Saturday and give it (a fitness test) a good go, but his neck was not ready for the contact. With a neck you can't take any chances, so it was down to me to have a go.

"Danny Porte and Jordan Patey were ready to step in as well, but I felt that I could contribute for 40 minutes and I felt I did that."

Owen enjoyed being back in action, but he admitted it was hard watching the final few minutes from the touchline.

"I don't know about enjoying it, I thought my heart was going to stop at the end," said Owen. "We seem to like to give value for money.

"But credit to the boys – they stuck in there against a team right at the top of the league and a team that have done well against us in past years.

"We sneaked a win last year at home against them by one point and I thought it was going to go down to that again."

He added: "We did have a lot of control on Saturday and we executed things better. The want and desire was also there and I hope it shows the people who support us week in week out that we won't just lay down and die this season. There is a lot of rugby to come and we are up for it.

"But people have to understand this is a tough league. That has been proved by Doncaster beating Bristol and us turning over Nottingham. There really is nothing between any of the teams. You look at some of the fixtures we have had like Coventry away and these are tough fixtures. But we just have to keep the faith.

"The guys are putting in 120 per cent, the management is and the coaching staff are, but every week there is 15 other guys doing the same and also wanting to win."

Owen, though, admitted the Albion players were keen to prove a point on Saturday after losing three in a row.

"There was a real hunger there," he said. "There is every week but maybe it was a bit more pronounced on Saturday.

"But we have to be careful now. We can't pat ourselves on the back yet. We did that after the Pirates game.

"It is good to win and you should enjoy it, but equally you have to go out the next week and keep your performance at the same level because otherwise it appears just a flash in the pan and you will be back to zero again."