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Thursday, August 14, 2008, 07:00
A HAT-TRICK of tries from Jake Childs laid the foundations for an inexperienced Plymouth Albion side to beat South West Two West outfit Sidmouth at Brickfields last night.
Albion scored seven tries in total – five of them coming in the first half – as they built up a 27-5 lead at the break.
Sidmouth hit back in the second half, scoring two tries of their own to reduce the deficit to 32-17 at one stage.
But the hosts had the last word courtesy of a converted injury-time try, which sealed a deserved win.
"It was a fast game played at a high tempo," said Albion's chairman of rugby Graham Dawe.
"There were some very encouraging performances from a lot of (Albion) players who have worked hard over the last nine weeks in pre-season.
"The players have worked really hard and it showed during the match.
"But you also have to give some credit to Sidmouth who showed a lot of endeavour the first 20 minutes and after half time as well – they finished really strongly."
Wihan Neethling, playing his first game in seven months, captained what was a largely youthful and inexperienced Albion side.
Aside from the South African, only four other players – Tom Hobbs, Ed King, Childs and Jamie Tripcony – had any first-team experience.
Yet it was Albion who started the game better and Sidmouth found themselves unable to get out of their own half.
The hosts gradually began to take a stranglehold on the match and their pressure told in the eighth minute when Childs dived over the try-line from close range.
Fly-half Alex Davies missed the conversion, but Albion led 5-0.
Sidmouth responded well and they began to enjoy their first meaningful spells of possession.
They made their way into Albion's 22 for the first time on 18 minutes.
But a knock-on handed the hosts the put-in at the scrum and Davies produced a superb kick to relieve the pressure for the home side.
However back came Sidmouth and they levelled the scores on 22 minutes when number eight Nathan Hannay bulldozed his way over the line.
Skipper Steve Trim saw his conversion sail wide left of the posts, but the visitors were now right back in the game.
Four minutes later, Albion hit back with their second try.
The home side were awarded a penalty 22 metres out yet they opted for touch as opposed to the three points.
They won the line-out to set up the catch and drive and that enabled Childs to go over again and restore the hosts' five-point advantage.
Davies struck his conversion well, but it hit the right hand post and bounced out.
Albion stretched their lead on 32 minutes following a fine passing move that saw Jamie Shone and Neethling combine to allow debutant Mark Lee to go over.
Davies missed his third conversion, but the hosts were now starting to dominate the contest.
Two minutes later they added a fourth try when Davies released Hobbs who in turn passed to Childs to allow him to crash over the whitewash.
Davies had to delay his conversion as Ross Batten, injured in the build-up to the try, was stretchered off and Kieran Hallett came on to make his debut.
However the wait did not affect Davies and he sent his kick through the posts to hand Albion a commanding 22-5 lead.
Hallett lined-up at full-back with Neethling moving to the wing.
Yet neither player had time to settle before Albion scored their fifth try on 40 minutes.
Centre Steve Johns raced in from 15 metres out to give his side a 22-point advantage.
Davies' conversion drifted right of the posts, yet the home team went in at half time well in control, leading 27-5.
Albion handed former Mounts Bay hooker Jamie Salter a debut when they brought him on for the start of the second half, replacing Sam Roberts.
It was the visitors who began the period the brighter and they enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening 10 minutes.
However they could not convert their pressure into points and they were made to pay on 58 minutes.
Hallett released Neethling in space on the right hand touchline and he ran in from 15 metres for his side's sixth try.
Davies looked to add to Albion's score with a conversion, yet he moved prior to starting his run up and saw the ball kicked away by a Sidmouth player before he had time to react.
The visitors reduced the deficit to 32-12 six minutes later courtesy of a second try from Hannay, which was converted by Dan Retter.
The score seemed to give the away team a second wind and they added another try on 77 minutes when former Albion winger and Sidmouth player/coach Andy Matchett crossed the whitewash.
The conversion was missed by Tom Whelan, but the visitors had now cut the gap to 32-17.
However it was Albion who completed the scoring in the first minute of added-on time when Neethling scored his second try of the game.
Davies added the conversion to seal a 39-17 win for the hosts.
Plymouth Albion: W Neethling (capt), R Batten (K Hallett 38), M Lee, S Johns (T Newman 79), J Shone (M Venables 54), A Davies, C Moore (M Newman 40), T Hobbs (J Yealding 79), S Roberts (J Salter 40, G Evans 79), O Yates, G Fleming (B Venables 54), E King, J Childs, J Hayes (P Rokobuli 50), J Tripcony.
Sidmouth: J Wardrop, S Meadham, T Bevis, J Robinson, S Lewry, D Retter, S Trim (capt), C Wilkins, C Gardner, B Hendrickson, J Pyne, T Phipps, R Thomas, A Eustace, N Hannay. Reps: S Wallace, O Pyne, P Spenser, A Matchett, G Dixon, T Seward, W Finch, T Whelan, H Martin, J Gardner.
Scorers: Albion: Tries: Childs (3), Lee, Johns, Neethling (2). Cons: Davies (2).
Sidmouth: Tries: Hannay (2), Matchett. Con: Retter.
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