Match report Albion .v. Jersey

The day started well with several fans taking advantage of the discounted brunch on offer in the Club House. Some even enjoyed the warmish weather by dining on the terrace. This was followed by people crowding into the bar to see the England /Italy game.

Several cheers went up as England attempted to achieve enough points to put Ireland under pressure later in the afternoon. Perhaps the bigest cheer being that for Jack Nowell's 1st international try.

So that was fun but what was to follow decidedly was not. In perfect playing conditions, sun shing and only a gentle breeze, that was to change later, the pitch looked to be ideal for good attacking rugby. Jersey seeking to egt their first win over Albion this season started kicking off towards the Club House. Albion struggled to egt any momentum and following a penalty at an early scrum were soon 3 points down. There followed an amazing miss by Cusack. His opposite number had missed aa long range attempt from inside his own half but Declan's was in front of the posts and not too far out. He made good contact with the ball and it sailed high over the posts but the referees assistants deemed it had missed, I for one thought it should have ben awarded.

Jersey were showing very good line speed and the first up tackling could not be faulted stopping Albion's progress time and time again. However a successful lineout Albion made inroads into the "red zone" only to be stopped on the line. Then we had the first of probably three crucial incidents that affected the eventual result. In stopping Albion the Jersey full back prevented a scoring opportunity by illegally diving onto the ball. Was it worthy of a penalty try ? The referee decided not, sent the offender to the naughty chair for 10 minutes and awared a penalty, which was easily converted for Albion's first score of the game. Some Jersey fans thought, after the game, that tha award of a penalty try could have been justified. It is often claimed that the average score by the team having the advantage of the "extra" man is 7 points. Albion scored 3 but Jersey in spite of their handicap scored two penalty goals. Yet again Albion's indiscipline cost them.

Then came the second crucial incident. Jersey had a maul out on their right wing and were driving into Albion's 22, the ball came out and was passed along the back line only for ot to go astray, Albion fly hacked the ball upfield and it looked as if the danger had passed but the referee blew his whistle and returned to the site of the maul and signalled a penalty. That seemed strange as initially it seemed it was in Albion's favour but he called Sean-Michael over produced a yellow card and he signalled it was for "pulling down" at the maul. Sean-Michael was not the only one who was baffled by that decision. It must be said that the referee had a good game but as always there are incidents about which opinions differ. From the resulting play Jersey scored a try. Penberthy judged the wind exceptionally well as it looked like the attempted conversion, from close to the right hand touch line, was going to the left of the posts, but the wind eased it inside the left hand upright.

Jersey's defence was extremely good in the first half and stifled Albion's running game. When Albion varied their tactics with kicks ahead the bounce of the ball was against them. In one case an excellent kick up the right wing found Tom Bowen racing ahead of the retreating defenders, a claen catch would have seen him running yet another try but the ball bounced over Tom's head and was gathered by Jersey.

By the start of the second half the wind that had been a gentle breeze had increased in strength. It was blowing straight down the pitch towards the Club House. Albion soon narrowed the gap, even still one man down, with a penalty. Jersey were still in comand, frequently getting the ball by counter rucking when Albion seemed to have retained possesion. Then came a major slice of good luck for Albion, Jersy won the ball at a maul but Cusack stole the ball from them and ran under the posts for a converted try.

Jersey struck back and put the game beyond Albion's reach by scoring two tries to take their total to 30 points. One of these was one of those crucial points I mentioned earlier. Dan Mugford made a clearance kick from just inside our 22 but caried by the wind it wnt over the dead ball line in fron of the Midas marquee. That gave an attacking scrum to Jersey which resulted in a try. 

Albion were dead and all but buried. But even if playing poorly they still have character, and in time added on, scored two tries. Cusack in time saving mode, attempted to drop kick the conversions from wide out on Ablion's left wing. So remarkably Albion secured their 11th. bonus point of the season.

Jersey were deserved winners, they outplayed Albion in the loose and stiffled their running game. There were only a few plus points in Albion's performance. The line outs were again working well and at the scrum we were not being completley dominated as had been the case earlier in the season.