Greene King IPA Championship
Plymouth Albion 23 Jersey 30
by Tom Innes
A fantastic win for Jersey, their second win in as many attempts
at Brickfields in the Devonport area of Plymouth.
Jersey started positively and there was an early chance for Aaron
Penberthy, which he slotted. The Cornishman then missed his second
attempt and saw Declan Cusack level the scores, but then he added
two more penalties which saw the visitors go ahead 3-9.
Jersey survived a 10-minute spell without Jack Burroughs after the
Jersey full-back was yellow-carded for illegal play in the build-up
to Albion's opening penalty. And no sooner had he returned than
Albion lost Sean-Michael Stephen to the bin, the number 8
despatched for pulling down a maul.
The visiting team took full advantage of the extra man, winning an
attacking lineout and then launching a series of phases that ended
with James Voss (below) diving over for his first try for
Jersey at senior level. Penberthy continued his good record from
the tee, converting for a 3-16 half-time lead.
The early exchanges in the second half saw Albion fight back
with 10 points from Cusack - a penalty, an interception try
following a loose pass from Jersey replacement Joe Buckle and the
conversion to follow.
That was to be as close at the home side got, as Jersey attacked
and Mark McCrea (below) raced to the line to restore Jersey's lead,
and before long it had got even better with another replacement,
Ben Maidment, celebrating his return to action with a try. Two
Penberthy conversions made it 13-30.
After a magnificent effort, not surprisingly, the Jersey players
tired in the dying minutes conceding tries to Rob Langley and
Gareth Evans, the latter with the final move of the game.
Bottom side Ealing gave Bedford Blues a terrific match at Vallis
Way, and as the game entered added time the Londoners trailed just
23-35, but two late tries sealed the game for the visitors 23-39.
Bedford ensured their safety in the process, and have 31 points,
ahead of Nottingham (25) Jersey (23) and Ealing (11).
Plymouth Albion: 15 Dan Mugford, 14 Tom Bowen, 13
Toby Howley-Berridge, 12 Heath Stevens, 11 Lewis Warner, 10 Declan
Cusack, 9 Paul Rowley, 1 Martin Rice, 2 Gareth Evans, 3 Lloyd
Fairbrother, 4 Harrison Tovey, 5 Rhys Oakley capt, 6 Rob Langley, 7
Eoghan Grace, 8 Sean-Michael Stephen (YC)
Replacements 16 Davy McGregor, 17 Dave Morton, 18 Tom
Harrison, 19 Len Ascroft-Leigh, 20 Pale Nonu, 21 Richard Bolt, 22
Chris Elder
Jersey: Jack Burroughs (YC); Ed Dawson (David
Bishop), Drew Locke, Mark McCrea, Mark Foster; Aaron Penberthy,
Joel Dudley (Jimmy Williams); Sean McCarthy (Sam Lockwood), Elvis
Taione (Luke Stratford), David Young (Nick Selway), Dave Markham
(Ben Maidment), James Voss, Alex Rae (capt), Ryan Hodson (Joe
Buckle), Latu Makaafi.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys (RFU)
Attendance: 1,036
Half time: 3-16
Scorers
Plymouth Albion
Tries: Cusack, Langley, Evans
Con: Cusack
Pens: Cusack 2
Jersey
Tries: Voss, McCrea, Maidment
Cons: Penberthy 3
Pens: Penberthy 3
