Plymouth Albion Ladies 6 Waterloo 5

By Frank Stormont
November 26 2006

Plymouth Albion Ladies take on Waterloo in Premiership II and come away with a win on a day that saw Albion do the double over Waterloo. (men won in the afternoon)

 

Albion Ladies 6 Waterloo 5

Albion sneak home with a 6-5 win over Waterloo and hopefully move up the table. Two wins in under a week will build the team's confidence on a day that predicted stormy weather but most of the match was played under a bright sky and it was not until the final whistle blew that the heavens opened and proceeded to dump a large quantity of hail to clear the pitch.

The match also was blessed with a full compliment of wired up officials which improved the game with very little, if anything, being missed. Thank you to them and I am sorry I have not got your names.

Albion kicked off in the first half with a light wind at their backs and allowed Waterloo to control the match for the first 15 to twenty minutes but when Waterloo were penalised for off side in front of the posts Tracy Corby took the opportunity to put points on the board with her safe boot. 

Albion took control of the game for the rest of the half and would probably have added more to the score board apart from the many handling errors that were being made. Most of the half was spent in the Waterloo half with probably the majority of that in the 22.  Both sides had great defence and no one from either side managed to cross the line for the rest of the half.

After the turn around Waterloo came out with more spirit and determination and again took control of the match for a short period. A penalty kick for the left corner, in the 10th minute, made touch and allowed them to set up a catch and drive around the 5 metre line. With the Albion defence still holding well Waterloo were forced to recycle the ball and passing along the whole line Lisa Williamson scored a try in the corner. Without the use of a kicking tee the conversion was missed to the right.

The shock of the points against them probably gave Albion the kick that they needed to retake control of the match. In the 23rd minute Waterloo were penalised for a deliberate knock on and Tracy Corby stepped up to the mark 35 metres from the posts in the centre of the field. On this occasion she was unsuccessful and Albion remained two points behind the visitors. The ball was knocked on in the in goal area by Waterloo and Albion were awarded a 5 metre scrum.

Albion did make it across the line but were unable to get the ball on the ground and a another 5 metre scrum awarded. With Abion coming up against such a strong defence it was obvious that they were going to find it very difficult to score a try son when Nancy Stone saw the opportunity from 15 metres in front of the posts kicked her second drop goal of the season.

Waterloo did try to get back and were stopped twice by the blow of the referee's whistle. The final blow was a penalty against Waterloo in front of Albion's posts which was kicked safely into touch to complete the match and a win to Albion 6 - 5.

Tristan Foster, head coach, said after the match "It is good that even when we don't play too well we are still picking up points. It is something we were not doing earlier on in the season, the team is growing in that sense. Sometimes you have to win ugly and we won ugly today.

We can take this to London Wasps in a fortnight with two wins on a bounce, where we can go and know we can compete."

 

Team: Tracy Corby, Sonia Clatworthy, Anna Shepard, Terri Cormack, Tally Francis, Nancy Stone, Rachel Chidgey, Jenny Dyer, Claire Steer, Vee Thompson, Helen Duffin, Sarah Curtis, Jo Holden, Rachel Tucker, Sam Bunyan Replacements: Paula Bennet-Smith(used), Jenny March(used), Claire Garrett(used), Barbara Jensen, Hayley Wilson, Megan Higgins, Jodie Wrey

Scorers :- Penalty Tracy Corby Drop Goal Nancy Stone

 

Photos should be up over the next 24 hours.