Another week, another away day - Albion are back on the bus and will visit Cinderford in the Forest of Dean this Saturday. Another week, another "extreme" weather event - this time, there's a snow flake and 0° on the weather map over western Gloucestershire. So no respite for the team - dig our your Gortex pants, boys! Although the pitch is up at 600 ft and pretty close to the Welsh mountains, it drains well - but there could be a problem if the temperature really drops...
Propping up the league, Cinderford must be feeling it's the Devil's work this year - they've shipped a whopping 666 points in the 21 games and only won 1 in 7 - Wharfedale, Blaydon and Hull (which is more than we can say...). They've also had a draw (26 all, in the return game with 'dale) and particularly at home, have been successful in pegging back some of the league's more successful outfits (25 - 27 v Ampthill and 17 - 20 v Park). Last week they went down 25 - 8 at the RAG. We won 27 - 15 when they visited in October. There's a gap of 5 league points them and Henley and a further eight needed to overhaul Wharfedale in 13th. Big ask.
Cinderford had a rough time of it last year, but managed to dodge the bullet at the end of the season. Talking with club chairman Rob (ex-Plymouth marine), he's enough of a realist to accept their current predicament and that it's not looking good for them right now. You can't "buy one, get one free" with Great Escapes. They've had a big change in their coaching team and currently have 3 DRs from Worcester who contributed to last week's damage limitation against the current league leaders.
Albion are well fancied to win tomorrow, but not at a gallop. Our scoreline last week may not have looked too one-sided, but that doesn't reflect the amazing application the team showed in the final quarter in sending Blaydon home empty-handed. Nevertheless, my natural optimism is tempered by the predicted conditions and the feeling that Cinderford's home advantage may tell - but not tellingly! I'm sitting on the fence with a four and a half pointer...
The travelling support will have just about dried out their waterproofs from last week before embarking tomorrow. There are still a few places left, so if your masochistic streak is wide enough, drop Martin a line. We continue to be a noisy distraction to our hosts across the country. You might even get to swap some banter with Ollie Dawe's dad at the back of the coach.
Here's the full fixture list:
Sat 13 Feb
Blaydon v Hull Ionians 14:00 Crow Trees
Ampthill v Wharfedale 14:15 Dillingham Park
Blackheath v Loughborough Students 15:00 Rectory Field
Cinderford v Plymouth Albion 15:00 Beavis Memorial Ground
Darlington Mowden Park v Hartpury College 15:00 Northern Echo Arena
Esher v Fylde 15:00 Molesey Road
Henley v Richmond 15:00 Dry Leas
Rosslyn Park v Coventry 15:00 The Rock
National League 1 - 2015-6 Wk 22
Posted by: Unofficial Plymouth Albion (IP Logged)
Date: 12/02/2016 10:23
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"Only" a 300 mike round trip for the Albion, whatever next! For us - it could be entering "a lions den." Hoping the Albion can tame those lions and come away with the points that mean winners. with the table the way it is - it leaves you feeling those lions could be tamed early especially with other away results but we would be brave to say that will definitely happen. Best of luck to the Albion. #albialbialbi
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2016:02:12:19:48:29 by hills22.
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