Tovey knows what to expect in Jersey

PLYMOUTH Albion head into unknown territory this weekend when they fly to the Channel Islands to take on bottom club Jersey in the Championship.

The two teams have never met before in the league.

But one member of the Albion party likely to be on the plane from Exeter on Friday does know what it is like to play at Jersey's St Peter's ground.

Forward Harrison Tovey played there with Clifton during the 2010/11 season and he has been filling his team-mates in on what to expect this Saturday.

"The Jersey crowd are one of those where when they are winning they really get behind them," said Tovey.

"But when they are losing they really don't like it and can turn against Jersey.

"They do get big crowds and teams playing away tend not to get much support, so it can be quite a one-sided crowd.

"But, having talked to some of our supporters after our last game, I think there are quite a few from Plymouth going and our fans always get behind us.

"They can act as our 16th man."

He added: "Jersey's pitch is quite similar to ours. It is not like Rotherham's, which is quite small.

"But it is very windy there. They do get quite a big wind going across the pitch.

"However, when I played there it was really sunny and, hopefully, we'll have conditions like that this weekend."

Tovey also knows a few of the Jersey players and he has warned his Albion team-mates they are going to have to be on their guard against the Islanders, who won their first league match of the season last weekend.

But Tovey is confident Albion will not slip up like London Scottish did at St Peter's last Saturday.

He said: "I've played sevens with a couple of their players and I know a lad who went to Loughborough.

"I played with their 10, Michael Le Bourgeois, who is a good player and Ed Tellwright, who has quite a bit of gas on the wing.

"They have got a bit of pace in their team and they are quite a youngish side."

Albion are looking to bounce back from four league and cup defeats in a row.

Their latest loss came last Saturday when they went down 31-22 to Nottingham at home.

Tovey said: "When we did a review of last week's game, I didn't think there was any part of the game that Nottingham were better than us at.

"It just came down to turnover ball and us not being clinical enough with our tackling.

"Last week we had a really hard week of training and the boys did really well.

"It was sad to lose that game to Nottingham as I thought we deserved to win it.

"This week we have had a really hard week training and the boys have upped it another level.

"I'm really excited about this weekend.

"There's a lot to look forward to.

"Nat has said we really have to target this game and we really have to stay focussed the whole time.

"A lot of boys have never flown to play a game before, so that can be a big thing, but I think the right mentality will be there the whole time."

Tovey is beginning to make a breakthrough at Brickfields after joining Albion in the summer from Clifton.

He made his first start in the cup match at Rotherham two weeks ago and has made four replacement appearances in the league, including 33 minutes last week against Nottingham.

"Just before the Rotherham (cup) game I broke into the squad and last week I got about 30 minutes off the bench, so it is going well," he said.

"Competition is tough, which is what you want in a squad."

After making a cup start, Tovey now has his eyes on a Championship start.

"That is what I am looking for," he said.

"Beuks (Brett Beukeboom) and Carps (Aaron Carpenter) are going away (on international duty) so that should open up a couple of spots for players to come through.

"Everyone is fighting for positions in the team and you just have to do your best."