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Search forAlbion's efforts not reflected in derby score
Monday, October 13, 2008, 09:00
Graham Dawe's side really never looked like inflicting on the Chiefs only their second National Division One defeat of the season in front of a record Brickfields and Devon derby league crowd.
But they produced a performance which at stages, left high-flying Exeter on the back foot, and one which should give them plenty of encouragement for the remainder of the season.
The hosts trailed by just six points at the interval, 20-14, having given more than a good account of themselves.
Therefore, Albion could have been excused for heading out for the second half confident they could record their first Devon derby success in five attempts.
Alas, it wasn't to be as the Chiefs found fifth gear and – with the aid of three second half tries – sealed their deserved victory.
Yet, the Brickfields outfit should not be too disheartened after the defeat, having made Exeter work hard for their win.
Albion scored just the one try compared to the visitors' five.
But they had chances to add to their total and give the game a final score which would have fairly reflected the nature of the clash.
The main difference between the two teams and deciding who came out on top was in the form of two players – winger Josh Drauniniu and fly-half Gareth Steenson.
Drauniniu was a constant thorn in Albion's side, scoring one try and proving a real threat throughout the match.
The winger would suck two or three players into the tackle before either using his pace and power to break them or simply off-load to a team-mate.
While Steenson produced a faultless kicking display which yielded 16 points courtesy of five conversions – nearly all from the touchline – and two penalties.
It would be disrespectful to Exeter's other players to say that these two won the game single-handedly for the Chiefs.
Yet such was their impact, that had they not been playing, the game may just have had a totally different outlook.
Albion did all they could to try and record a successive league win, following on from the 31-16 victory at Otley a week previous.
But try as they might in the second period to add to their points-total, they just could not manage it.
As they chased the game in the closing stages, Exeter capitalised on two Albion errors to score two breakaway converted tries to give the scoreline a flattered look.
Albion's players were understandably dejected at the full-time whistle, but they should not be.
Their display was, arguably, their best of the campaign thus far and on another day, against weaker opposition, would almost have certainly led to them leaving the field with five points.
The key thing for Plymouth now is to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and push on for the rest of the term.
They now have four winnable games in a row against Moseley, Rotherham, Sedgley park and Doncaster, respectively.
All, bar Rotherham, are at home and wins in each of those matches will soon make Saturday's defeat nothing more than a distant memory.
It was Exeter who drew first blood in the derby clash after Albion centre Keni Fisilau was penalised for not rolling away after just 26 seconds.
Steenson made no mistake with the penalty to put the Chiefs 3-0 ahead.
The hosts could have levelled matters in the third minute when former Albion winger Nic Sestaret was also penalised for not rolling away.
But Kieran Hallett's 40-metre attempt dropped just short of the posts.
The home side, who went into the game without the injured Liam Gibson, James Tideswell and Colin Stewart and the ill Wayne Sprangle, were dealt a major blow in the fifth minute when scrum-half David Palu suffered what looked like a serious knee injury. Palu was stretchered off the field and replaced by Greg Nicholls.
But seven minutes later Albion drew level when Hallett kicked a penalty after Bryan Rennie had been penalised for not rolling away.
The parity did not last long though as two minutes later Exeter drove over for the opening try of the contest.
Lock Tom Johnson was the man, among a pile of bodies, who was eventually handed the score.
Steenson added the conversion and the Chiefs now led 10-3.
Nat Saumi, making his first appearance of the season for Albion, tried to reduce the deficit on 17 minutes with an attempted drop-goal from inside his own half, but it never looked like getting anywhere near the posts.
Five minutes later, a high tackle by Fisilau on Drauniniu saw the Chiefs awarded another penalty and Steenson made no mistake to give the visitors a 13-3 lead.
But, in a topsy turvy game, Hallett reduced the gap to 13-6 on 25 minutes when John Andress was penalised for killing the ball.
Albion lost Geoff Griffiths at the same time with a suspected dislocated jaw.
But the hosts did not let that affect them and they opened their try account on 29 minutes when Gareth Evans was driven over from close-range for his second try in two games.
The effort was initially credited to Martin Rice, but Evans later confirmed he scored it. Hallett missed the conversion, but the gap had been cut to 13-11.
However, just two minutes later, Exeter took advantage of poor Albion play at the re-start and it was Chiefs lock Lewis Stevenson who touched down for the visitors' second try.
Steenson kicked the conversion and Exeter were now 20-11 ahead.
But, Plymouth were able to head in at the break trailing just 20-14 thanks to a Hallett penalty awarded in the first minute of added-on time.
Seven minutes into the second period, Drauniniu struck to score Exeter's third try. Steenson brilliantly added the extras and the Chiefs now led 27-14.
Former Albion winger Nic Sestaret was lucky not to be awarded a yellow-card on 63 minutes when he took out Justin Mensah-Coker in mid-air.
However, seven minutes later, the visitors were reduced to 14 when Chris Budgen was yellow-carded for a professional foul at a scrum.
Albion tried everything they could to take full advantage and they almost added a second try in the 77th minute.
Fisilau put a tempting chip-kick over Exeter's defence, which Arran Cruickshanks collected, and he passed inside to Mensah-Coker just five metres from line.
Mensah-Coker tried to pass back to Fisilau, who was just two metres from the line, but his pass was too high for the centre to collect and the chance had gone.
Then two minutes later, to really make matters worse, Sestaret pounced on a kick through after Albion had dropped the ball near the halfway line to touch down for Exeter's fourth try.
Steenson added the conversion and the Chiefs were now 34-14 ahead.
To really ruin Albion's day, Matt Cornwell scored a breakaway try in the fourth minute of added-on time when he intercepted a Ross Laidlaw pass 45 metres out.
Steenson kicked the conversion to seal a deserved, but rather flattering, 41-14 victory for the visitors.
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