Post by Jamie Crawford on Aug 17, 2014 15:37:00 GMT
Neath 7 Plymouth Albion 34: Match report
By HeraldSport | Posted: August 16, 2014
PLYMOUTH Albion’s backs showed their finishing prowess against Welsh side Neath at the Gnoll on Saturday night.
Wingers Jake Henry and Mark Kohler both scored twice, with fly-half Declan Cusack and full-back Lewis Warner also touching down as Albion ran out 34-7 winners in a match that was ended early due to an injury to Neath's Dale Ford.
James Shanahan side’s totally dominated the first half and found themselves 22-0 up at the break against their Welsh Premiership opponents.
Although Neath offered more of a challenge in the second period as both sides made changes, they never threatened any real comeback, although they did managed to score a try, which was something Launceston had not managed to do the week before.
Albion, who had beaten National Two South side Launceston 55-3 last Sunday in their opening pre-season match, included nine new signings in their starting line-up at the Gnoll.
There was a totally new front-row with Canadian international prop Andrew Tiedemann making his first appearance for the club, alongside fellow summer arrivals Ted Stagg and Tom Fidler.
However, the Albion front-row did not have to face Wales and British Lions prop Adam Jones, who although training with Neath was not given permission to play on Saturday evening.
In good conditions, Albion scored within two minutes. From Neath’s kick-off they kept the ball really well and got inside the home team’s half. They got a penalty and took it quickly to keep the Welsh All Blacks on the back foot. The visitors pressed and pressed on the right before switching it quickly to the left where Henry was there to go over. Cusack converted.
Fellow winger Kohler added a second try for Shanahan’s side six minutes later when he burst through after good work from Henry and Brett Beukeboom. Cusack could not convert this time, but Albion led 12-0.
It was one-way traffic early on at the Gnoll and Cusack added a third try on 15 minutes after Albion had three five-metre scrums. The Irish fly-half, who has been appointed club captain, could not convert.
After that score, Neath did have their first bit of pressure in Plymouth’s half but they could not find get closer than 22 metres from the line.
Neath, who had drawn 15-15 with Championship side Doncaster the previous week, finally did put Albion under pressure in the 25th minute when they won a penalty and went for the corner. They pressed from the set piece, but knocked on right on line.
Albion then did the same at the other end before they did get a fourth try in the 35th minute through the impressive Henry, who collected a good off-load by Lewis Warner. Cusack could not convert again but his side led 22-0, which was how it stayed until half-time.
Former Old Albanian fly-half Lawrence Rayner, who had missed the Launceston game due to injury, came on for his debut at half-time.
And he played a part in the visitors extending their lead three minutes in the second period with Kohler going over for his second try after some outrageous passing across the line by Albion. Rayner converted to put his side 29-0 in front.
But, unlike the first half, Neath responded well with Lloyd Phillips showing great strength to force his way over the line under the posts. Fly-half Dale Ford added the simple conversion.
Neath, encouraged by that score, frustrated Albion for a while but eventually the visitors got a sixth try when Warner managed to sneak over in the left corner on 61 minutes after pressure following a five-metre scrum.
That was to be the last score as the match was ended in the 75th minute due to an injury to Neath's Ford.
Read more: www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Neath-7-Plymouth-Albion-34-Match-report/story-22756727-detail/story.htm [HASH]ixzz3AfCiLFiy
Plymouth Albion are our first Championship opponents on 6th September. They comfortably beat Neath at the Knoll where we only managed a draw. Hopefully Saturday’s demolition of Cardiff is a better marker to go by but then again who knows? Neath will have improved from the lessons learned when they played us! Roll on 6th September.
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
