Albion top Pool 4 after convincing win at Stirling
Stirling County 12
Plymouth Albion 38
Rugby Union British and Irish Cup, Saturday 19 October 2013, Bridgehaugh Park
Plymouth Albion are sitting pretty at the top of Pool 4 in the British and Irish Cup round robin stage after a convincing victory at Scottish Premiership side Stirling County.
Six tries from six different scorers is an impressive stat to bring back on the long journey home from Scotland and a bonus point made the trip even sweeter.
An injury to number eight, Herbie Stupple was the only low point of a fine afternoon's work. A recurrence of an ankle injury makes him a doubt for next Saturday's away game in Jersey.
Head Coach James Shanahan made eight changes to the side that defeated Nottingham with hooker Max Crumpton making his debut. Shanahan told the club's website:
“For the third game in a row we conceded under ten penalties and there were no yellow cards today. That alone is very pleasing.
“We struggled a bit in the line out early on but that improved, and once again the bench made an impact when they came on.”
A 19-7 interval lead was reward for some hard work in the first half and they doubled their score in the second. Stirling did not give up and had their moments, notably a try in each half; but it was indisputably Albion's day and they will feel confident as they return to Greene King IPA Championship action next weekend.
Stirling County: B Addison capt, G Lindsay, A Russell, R Hogg, R Hughes (J Hope 40),S Edwards, AJ McFarlane (H Pyrgos 40), K Burney (J Bhatti 64), R Kennedy (A Moffat 47), C Hutton, M Larsen, T Ryder, S Robertson (J Swanson 52), W Bordill (S MacDonald 40), A Ashe (R Leishman 58)
Tries, Hughes, Swanson
Con, Edwards
Plymouth Albion: L Messer, L Warner, H Stevens, T Howley-Berridge, J Arnott (C Elder 69), D Cusack( D Mugford 69), R Cushion capt (P Rowley 69), B Rogers (T Harrison 50), M Crumpton (D McGregor 69), D Morton, I Ascroft-Leigh, D Williams (WCarrick-Smith 50), E Grace, S Matvesi, H Stupple (H Tovey 30)
Tries, Howley-Berridge, Crumpton, Matavesi, Grace, Ascroft-Leigh, Elder
Cons, Cusack 3, Mugford
Referee C Evans (WRU)
Attendance 625
- See more at: http://www.plymouthalbion.com/plymouth-albion-v-stirling-match-report/#sthash.T20fs8uv.dpuf
