Plymouth Albion 31 Nottingham 25

​PLYMOUTH Albion upset the Championship form book by beating high-flying Nottingham five tries to three at Brickfields on Saturday.

Graham Dawe's side, who had lost their last three games, were outstanding on the day and could easily have scored more than the five tries they did collect.

Backs Keni Fisilau, Ben Mercer, Ruairi Cushion, Kieran Hallett and flanker Sean-Michael Stephen were the players that touchdown for Albion, who led 17-6 at half-time.

Nottingham, who had won their last seven matches, came back in the second half with tries from Ben Johnston, Greg Sammons and Tim Streather, but Albion, who brought on 50-year-old Dawe for the dying minutes, managed to hang on for a deserved win, which moves them up to ninth in the table.

Albion totally dominated the first half.

Nottingham, hit by some injuries, started the day in second place, but Albion totally destroyed them in the scrums and up front.

Albion had a host of chances before they did finally take the lead through long-serving Tongan centre Fisilau on 18 minutes. Hallett added the conversion to make it 7-0.

Tim Taylor reduced the gap with a penalty on 22 minutes, but back came Albion with a great try in the right corner through winger Mercer.

The score, Mercer’s third of the season, came after some great play by Tongan duo Sione Tu’ipulotu and Fisilau.

Hallett agonisingly hit the post with the conversion, but Albion were 12-3 up.

They had more opportunities before Taylor kicked another penalty.

However, Albion were not done yet and in first half injury-time scrum-half Cushion went over for his first in Plymouth colours after the home pack had pushed Nottingham off a scrum on their own line to win one for themselves.

Hallett again missed the conversion, but Albion were 11 points up at the break.

Nottingham got the start they were looking for after the interval when centre Johnston scored a good try, which Taylor converted.

But Albion were in determined mood and on 53 minutes Canadian international Stephen ran in behind the posts after fly-half Alex Davies put him through.

Hallett converted to make it 24-13.

However, Nottingham had not won seven matches in a row without having spirit and despite losing Johnston and David Jackson with injuries, they hit back with a try from close range by hooker Sammons.

Taylor converted to make it 24-20.

Two minutes later, though, Albion were back 11 points in front when Hallett scored a good try on the right which he also converted.

However, the home supporters were treated to a nervous final few minutes when Streather went over on 74 minutes.

Nottingham had their chances late on but Albion got the win they deserved.

ALBION: K Hallett, B Mercer, K Fisilau, S Tu'ipulotu, L Gibson, A Davies, R Cushion, M Rice, J Owen, R Hopkins, M Lewis, T Hotson, S-M Stephen, R Watts-Jones, K Marriott. Reps: M Lee, G Kingdom, G Dawe, D Porte, D Morton, T Skelding, W Sprangle.

NOTTINGHAM: D Jackson, J Cobden, R Nirmalendran, B Johnson, T Streather, T Taylor, T Usasz, N Fowkes, G Sammons, P Du Plessis, S Raven, N Rouse, C Hammond, J Rowan, P Eggleshaw. Reps: D White, D Marshall, A Savage, B Buxton, A Rostron, P Cook, J Baird.

REFEREE: JP Doyle

SEE MONDAY’S HERALD FOR FULL REPORT, REACTION AND PICTURES

OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Bristol 46 coventry 28

Birmingham-Solihull 16 Moseley 23

Bedford 11 Exeter 20

London Welsh 9 Doncaster 20

Rotherham 29 Cornish Pirates 20