BOTH SIDES TURN INTO 2023 SEEKING MORE MOMENTUM TO BOOST THEIR LEAGUE POSITIONS
We welcome Newton Abbot – the Devon All Whites to College Way today for this 2022/23 return encounter. Newton Abbot’s league history is somewhat chequered. They competed in Western Counties West until promoted in 2005/6 to this Level 6 and after an unsuccessful play-off attempt, they achieved promotion by beating High Wycombe in the play-off in 2009/10. They then spent nine seasons at National 3 SW; SW Premier or South West 1 whatever you like to call it up until 2018/19 and then were relegated. During this time, the clubs met in 2011/12 with Newton Abbot being successful 52-10 here and 25-23 at Rackerhays. That season saw Bridgwater & Albion relegated.
The clubs met again in that curtailed 2019/20 season with Albion winning 29-22 here in November 2019 and 43-19 away on 7 March 2020 – the last game before the lockdown descended. Sadly Newton Abbot were relegated at the end of that season.
However, they consolidated well in Western Counties West last season and with a 17-1-8 record and 92 points and came third which provided sufficient impetus via the restructuring to re-join this Level 6. Earlier this season, they defeated us 39-13 on a sunny September afternoon, the like of which we are unlikely to encounter today.
Newton Abbot sit in 8th position in the league with a 4-1-8 record on 27 points. They have been involved in some extremely high-scoring games 38-59 against St Austell; 26-28 against Teignmouth and 26-35 v Wellington. When they have won, they have done it well – beating Sherborne 35-10, North Petherton 4819 and ourselves 39-13. Their other win coming against Chard 18-13. In the last two weeks they have gone down to Cornish opposition at Truro 24-34 and last week at home to Wadebridge Camels 22-52. Like us, they look back to Guy Fawkes night for their last victory. They will be hoping to put the record right today and we wish them well.
Bridgwater & Albion were frozen off at Crediton last Saturday and that match now looks to move to the next default date which will be 4 February. On our last outing to Chard we went down 10-15 – yet another narrow defeat against a side which we needed to beat in league terms. That was an opportunity to get one over on some of our close rivals at the foot of the league and this game will be viewed in the same vein. In fact, all of our early New Year opponents – North Petherton, Sherborne and Teignmouth – are in reach – just a few wins would pep up the spirits and put us in with a chance of making progress. All matches against teams around us have produced some close finishes but we have just not been able to finish off sides although the late flourish against Chard produced a losing bonus point. Whilst the Chard pack confirmed their prowess from the early part of the season, our backs were undoubtedly superior and created more chances. With the changes in our XV becoming less, this then means a more settled side. The half-backs Tom Steer and Roger Drabble have worked well together and the centre pairing of Jay Owens and Lewis Plece is progressing
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well. Add in the return of James Collings at the back and also Thomas Croal’s return to action – these together with the versatile Danny Mahoney and Will Kerry – have all done well in recent weeks.
A win today will give the team and supporters a Christmas fillip and with some joy to take into the New Year encounters.
Our next three matches are all away mainly due to the fact that the Sherborne match earlier this season was of course a reverse venue and we visit Sherborne on 13 January and we visit The Terraces on Friday 13 January.
Bridgwater & Albion wishes its loyal supporters a happy festive season and thanks them for their efforts in getting behind the team during this difficult first half.
UNITED XV FOILED BY THE FROST
Like our 1st XV, our United XV also suffered a postponement last week with the Chard pitches out of action due to frost. This was a pity as the side gained particular momentum in an excellent victory over Somerton by 27-19 on the previous Saturday. Having gone done 12-52 to the same opponents at home back in September, this was a considerable turnaround. Albion’s pack took the game to the opponents and here the front row of Matt Bishop, Gavin Knight and Harry Hodge were always in the mix; Rowan James and Tom West carried excellently in the second row whilst Tom Hopkins’ constant thrusts from No. 8 always caused havoc in the home defence. Outside, Taylor Galloway and Will Kerry worked neatly at half-back and that enabled the Mahoney brothers to have a field day with some direct running and creating several chances and tries. It was Shaun Mahoney who opened the scoring with a typical burst and brother Danny followed. A further try before half-time gave a 19-5 lead and a Harry Hodge try in the 55th minute snuffed out any hopes of a Somerton revival. A final pile over try at the end was the clinching issue. Today the United appear at Wiveliscombe II hoping to maintain that form.
WOMENS XV MATCH ALSO POSTPONED
Our Women’s XV match due to have been played last Sunday against Chew Valley Cats also fell foul to the weather and the team awaits further fixtures in the New Year.
TODAY’S MATCH SPONSOR
It is our President Mike Berry who is the sponsor of today’s game in his own right (as opposed to his firm). Mike now in his 58th season with the club of which 50 were spent on the playing field - needs no introduction as his playing longevity is second to none – 1595 appearances over those 50 years and with an impressive 347 1st XV haul and he actually played more games in both our United and Athletic XV’s – proving that you always play where picked and continue to remain in the game by ensuring continued fitness over a long period. Mike usually gathers a good number of friends, acquaintances and supporters and today is no exception. We hope that he and his guests have an entertaining afternoon and thank him for his continued support.
NEXT MATCHES ON THIS GROUND
Sadly not much to report here with the 1st XV being away for the first three Saturdays in January. However,
Saturday 7 January
United XV v North Petherton II
Kick-off 14.30
Like the 1st XV, the United XV is then away on 21 January at Huish Tigers and at Castle Cary on 28 January.
Saturday 28 January
1st XV v St Austell
Kick-off 15.00
The club’s veteran historian and correspondent – Scribe – delves into the archives to review the playing of Christmas rugby football in the club over the last 60 years or so. When do you think the last organised Christmas rugby football fare was? – the answer is in 2008 when Taunton, Bridgwater & Albion and Westonsuper-Mare decided to resurrect the Baker Cup – an ancient relic previously contested by Bridgwater & Albion and Weston-super-Mare during the times when the clubs met four times during the season. Oddly, the trophy destiny was decided upon points scored and against as opposed to wins and losses. So – one of the teams could lose three games but win handsomely in the fourth and carry off the trophy. The Cup itself was mislaid many years ago and as far as your writer understands, never ever found. In those heady days of 2008, then Bridgwater & Albion met Taunton away on Boxing Day then 27 December and won handsomely 43-14; three days later they played Weston-super-Mare and again won well 40-12. The other match between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare did not take place. 2008 was heralded as the return of some Christmas games but alas those two matches were the only ones played and nothing else has happened ever since. Boxing Day; New Year’s Eve and indeed New Year’s Day were popular match days over the years with a good crowd guaranteed – they had nothing else to do and sick of food and drink at home, flocked to clubs staging games. Very few of these holiday matches have survived. Perhaps a lone encounter is that between Wiveliscombe and Wellington who are still battling away.
In Bridgwater & Albion terms Boxing Day back in the early 1960’s meant a match against Yeovil and on occasions, Clifton.
When your Scribe first put on his boots in senior terms in 1966, he was surprised to see that we played Cross Keys away on Christmas Eve – imagine the acceptance of that these days? Admittedly the kick-off was advanced to 14.00. I was playing just my sixth match in the 1st XV and had come through well in the first five – playing some very good sporting opponents but here was an eye-opener – a very dank day; a public park as the main pitch was out of action; snarling opponents and to boot a 0-17 defeat. Never mind, we are at home to Trojans on Boxing Day – let’s give it a go – we did and won 14-3. Five days later on New Year’s Eve we had to visit Weston-super-Mare to complete our Christmas festivities for that year. Trojans were a sporting lot – travelling down from Southampton to play us – as they did in the following season.
Scribe had another interesting outing on a Christmas Eve to Lydney in the 2nd XV a few years later – well worth it because we won but would anyone now contemplate going into the pits of the Forest of Dean on such an eve.
In 1970 the fixtures secretaries of Taunton and Bridgwater & Albion sensibly got their heads together and decided that maybe a Boxing Day match could be tried – it was – Albion won the toss to be the first at home and won 14-6. It was so successful both on and off the field that the clubs decided to repeat the occasion and in the next year, Taunton won 9-0 on their own year but that was then the first and only victory they had until 1977. Don’t forget that on the Saturday after Boxing Day Albion invariably had a match so for example in 1972 we were at home to the then Somerset Police and on 29 December 1973 Penarth were the visitors with Worcester following a year later – who you may ask – quite right – we beat them 17-10.
In 1975 and into the 1976 New Year, Albion excelled themselves playing four matches in that space of time, defeating Taunton 30-3 in the tradition Boxing Day encounter but going down at Weston a day later before beating a District XV on New Year’s Day and losing to Torquay on 3 January.
There’s another - Torquay were always the first visitors of a New Year on the same basis that Albion always visited Torquay on the third Saturday in November – they call that tradition.
All of this was before leagues were even thought of and we had the likes of Stroud and Falmouth joining in the last game of the year fun. Albion also crammed four matches in the period 26 December to 5 January in 1980/81, beating all of Taunton, Avon & Somerset Police (as they then became), Scottish Universities but going down at US Portsmouth just into the New Year. More clubs were much more adventurous in those days with Cinderford paying us a visit on New Year’s Eve in 1983 and Old Whitgiftian’s from Croydon coming here on 29 December 1984. On 1 January 1986 a Bristol XV graced the Broadway Ground.
Further back, on 1 January 1978, a club XV met the newly formed Veterans XV – players of over 30 years of age at that stage – tender you may think and hardly wet behind the ears.
The United XV was not to be outdone and on Boxing Day 1977 matches against Minehead Barbarians on a home one year/away the next started. If you think that getting out two teams on a normal Saturday in 2022 was a problem, then it did not appear to be the same situation back some 45 years ago. Why not? Because players wanted to play and spectators wanted to watch. Not unsurprisingly, when the “Big Daddy” namely Leagues were introduced in 1987/88, we were reduced to a club match that Christmas and although Boxing Day and late December matches against Taunton and Weston-super-Mare continued for several seasons, the whole lot petered out from 1998. The United/Minehead Barbarians series folded in 1997.
On Boxing Day 2005 there was a rare club match – a Presidents v Chairmans pick-up game with the former winning 32-15 – the score did not matter – it was great fun and enjoyed by all concerned.
The Baker Cup could have been a new pioneer but alas where is it – where did it go – will it be ever found –will anyone ever know or do they really care? So when you are idling away on Boxing Day and on New Year’s Eve wondering what to do, just think back to what you could have been doing – food for thought – you probably have had enough by then. Scribe
