Cup tie provides season's first home win for Albion

Plymouth Albion 28

Tries: Oakley, Langley, Grace Cons: Elder, Cusack Pens: Cusack 3

Nottingham 9

Pens: Lynn, Jarvis 2

British and Irish Cup, Friday 11 October 2013, Brickfields

The opening British and Irish Cup tie provided Albion with their first home win of the season. Head coach James Shanahan made 11 changes from the side that lost to London Scottish the previous weekend, including a first start of the season for the coach himself at fly-half.

After a tight first half, Albion led by a single point - 7-6 - with Rhys Oakley scoring a converted try for the home side. Two further tries in the second half gradually put Albion in the driving seat and they restricted the visitors to just three penalties overall.

Hampered by having three players sin-binned, Nottingham could not find a way back as Albion put crucial distance between the scores.

It was Albion's first win since the opening day win against Jersey at Sandy Park and Shanahan will hope the result builds confidence for the games ahead. The long journey to Stirling for the second tie in the pool 4 round robin stage of the British and Irish Cup awaits next Saturday.

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Plymouth Albion: Louis Messer, Jack Arnott, Chris Elder (Heath Stevens 52), Pale Nonu, Lewis Warner, James Shanahan (Declan Cusack 52), Paul Rowley (Ruairi Cushion 52), Ben Rogers (Tom Harrison 76), Gareth Evans (Davy McGregor 79), Matt Shields, Ien Ascroft-Leigh, Dan Williams, Rob Langley, Sam Matavesi (Eoghan Grace 55), Rhys Oakley (capt, Davy McGregor 68, Harrison Tovey 79).

Cards: Evans (yellow 66)

Nottingham: Rory Lynn, Pasqualie Dunn, George Catchpole (Sean Romans 47, Finlay Barnham 76), Joe Munroe, Ed Styles, Matt Jarvis, Harrison Lee-Everton, Ryan Bower, Alun Walker, Michael Holford (Harry Williams h/t), Tom Price, Dan Montague, Rupert Cooper (Brent Wilson 71), Tom Calladine (Michael Holford 79), Alex Shaw.

Cards: Styles (yellow 56), Price(yellow 75), Williams (yellow 79)

Referee: Gareth Jones (IRFU)

Attendance: 967