Plymouth Albion 13 London Welsh 13
The home side, desperate for points to secure a top eight promotion play-off place, were 13-8 up after 80 minutes having produced a truly spirited display against third-placed London Welsh.
Albion had defended brilliantly all game, but their luck deserted them in the dying seconds when flanker Rory Watts-Jones went down with a head injury near the halfway line.
He lay on the floor for two minutes as Welsh pressed and pressed and the home side could not get Sean-Michael Stephen on to replace the injured University of Plymouth student.
The visitors, unbeaten in 2010, threw the ball from side to side, and eventually the extra man told with Aled Thomas going over in the left corner.
Thomas could have won the game for the Exiles, but, fortunately for Albion, his kick hit the post instead of going through the uprights.
The draw was tough on Albion, who had battled their hearts out.
Albion’s top try scorer Ben Mercer failed a late fitness test and his place was taken by Ed Lewsey - making his first start since returning to the club last month.
The Brickfields club, who had beaten Welsh at Old Deer Park in November, were boosted by the return from injury of forwards Sean-Michael Stephen and Mike Lewis, who were added the the bench.
Apart from Lewsey for Mercer the other changes to the starting line-up that played against Bristol last week were James Owen for Joe Clark, Mark Lee for Gary Kingdom and George Porter for Ryan Hopkins.
London Welsh, already guaranteed a place in the top eight, were also missing their top try scorer - Errie Claassens - however they did include fellow prolific backs Paul Sampson and Dominic Shabbo.
Albion came out in forceful mood and they took the lead after just four minutes when Hallett kicked a penalty.
Hallett doubled their lead on eight minutes with another penalty after he had made a great break.
But Welsh gradually got back into the game and backs Sampson and Shabbo looked dangerous when the got it.
They cut Albion’s lead to one point when a try for Shabbo in the left corner after intense pressure following a line-out on the other side after Sione Tu’ipulotu had kicked straight out.
Aled Thomas could not add the conversion and he also missed a penalty five minutes later from the right.
Hallett also missed a tough kick when he went for a penalty on the right.
Albion were playing for territory and forcing Welsh back in their 22.
And the home side finished the half incredibly strongly. After a good 70m break involving Liam Gibson, Tu’ipulotu and Lee, Albion got a penalty on the right. Hallett went for goal and his kick must have missed just by inches.
However, it worked out in Albion’s favour as the home side charged down Welsh’s 22 drop-out and applied the pressure. After Gibson was held just short, Albion really applied the pressure and camped on Welsh’s line. Eventually they set up the drive and just as Albion were about to touch down, Welsh pulled it down and referee Rob Debney immediately ran under the posts to award the penalty try. Hallett added the simple conversion to put Albion 13-5 up at the break.
Albion started the second half on the front foot. A great Hallett kick to the corner forced Welsh to concede a five-metre line-out as Tu’ipulotu got ready to pounce.
However, Albion wasted the glorious opportunity by messing up the line-out.
The visitors broke quickly and after some good pressure Greg Evans nearly scored in the right corner, but a combination of Gibson and Ed Lewsey brilliantly stopped him.
Welsh really put Albion under pressure for the next 10 minutes but the home side’s defence was outstanding.
Tu’ipulotu denied Shabbo in the 58th minute before Albion lost fly-half Kieran Hallett with a thigh injury he picked up after being taken out late with a tackle earlier in the half.
And a minute after Hallett’s departure, Welsh cut the gap when Thomas scored with a penalty after Albion were penalised at a scrum 12 minutes from time.
Albion supporters were then outraged when scrum-half Ruairi Cushion was taken out with a late tackle after he kicked.
The referee did not see but the touch-judge flagged straight away, however, Debney did not see him flag and played on.
When play finally stopped a couple of minutes later, the touch-judge made the referee aware of the late tackle on Cushion. Debney awarded the penalty but only where Cushion had been taken out - not where his kick landed, which frustrated Albion as they would have had a good chance to add three points.
Cushion could not continue and was replaced by Gary Kingdom, with Ed Lewsey moving to scrum-half.
Albion were looking like they were going to hold on to claim a victory. Four minutes into injury-time they brilliantly won a ball against the head in the scrum, but they failed to keep hold of it.
With time desperately running out Welsh threw everything at Albion.
While they were attacking near the halfway line, home flanker Rory Watts-Jones suffered a nasty head injury, which later saw him taken to hospital.
He was laid on the floor for two minutes while the visitors continued to press.
They switch the ball from side-to-side and Albion could not get Watts-Jones off the field and Stephen on.
And eventually Welsh’s extra man told in the eighth minute of added on time when Thomas went over in the left corner.
Thomas nearly snatched the win for his team with the tough conversion, but it hit the post and failed to go over.
ALBION: M Lee, E Lewsey, K Fisilau, S Tu’ipulotu, L Gibson, K Hallett, R Cushion, M Rice, J Owen, G Porter, T Hotson, T Skelding, W Sprangle, R Watts-Jones, K Marriott. Reps: A Davies, G Kingdom, S-M Stephen, R Hopkins, J Clark, M Lewis, S Hocking.
LONDON WELSH: P Sampson, G Evans, N Starling, S Whatling, D Shabbo, A Thomas, R Lewis, M Holford, G O’Meara, L Ward, N Bonner-Evans, M Powell, L Beach, M Hills, T Brown. Reps: D George, J Horn-Smith, B Thomas, J Mills, B Stevenson, E Lewis-Pratt, G Ross.
REFEREE: Rob Debney (RFU)
SEE MONDAY’S HERALD FOR FULL REACTION AND PICTURES
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