TRURO RELISH FIRST SEASON BACK AT THIS LEVEL WHILST ALBION SEEK REDEMPTION FROM A DIFFICULT SEASON
We welcome Truro to College Way today and congratulate them on their form this season when - having been promoted - they are in a very comfortable fourth place although may be miffed by their home defeat last Saturday to Wadebridge Camels 27-32 which has allowed their fellow Cornishmen to usurp them in the league placings. The three Cornish clubs with St Austell leading the way have certainly dominated this year’s competition – being infiltrated by Crediton in second place.
It will in fact be our fourth season of league meetings. Previously, these have occurred at South West 1 level (5). In 2000/01 Albion won 27-8 at home and 23-21 away. Truro were then relegated but immediately bounced back for the 2002/03 season when they beat us 23-10 on their own ground but succumbed 18-27 here in February 2003. In the following season, Albion again completed the double with an 18-3 home win in October 2003 and a 38-9 away victory in January 2004. See later notes for matters of interest concerning our teams on those days. After the 2003/04 season then Truro stuttered in their league progress – being relegated from South West 2 West at the end of 2005/06 and from Western Counties West the following season before bouncing back to that league in 2009/10 where they remained until 2018/19. Relegation again to Cornwall and Devon was followed by an immediate promotion from 2019/20 and in 2021/22 back into Western Counties West where they finished runners up behind the unbeaten champions Wadebridge Camels and they were promoted again together with Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Chard in fourth and fifth place respectively.
We have also encountered Truro in the Powergen National Cup in September 2004 winning 41-7 here. Truro have made the most of their recent fluctuations in their league positions and have reconsolidated this season and we wish them well for the run in. In our earlier encounter in Cornwall in November Truro won 43-24 with Albion collecting a 4 try bonus point.
Bridgwater & Albion were buoyed by their pre-Christmas win against Newton Abbot but hopes that may have been a change in fortunes have been diminished with the last three games seeing us slip 50 points each time.
We gave runaway league leaders St Austell a good game going down 36-50 and showing plenty of spirit. Whilst scoring 19 points at second-placed Crediton in the rearranged game two weeks ago, we conceded 55; looking for the double at Sidmouth last Saturday, then any anticipation was eradicated quickly as the home side raced to an 18-0 lead en route to a 58-8 victory. As in several games this season, Albion have proved a spirited lot, hanging in these games and on Saturday, having much the better of the closing stages but with only one score as a reward. The season naturally ebbs away and there are just three matches to go with a visit to Cornwall and Wadebridge in two weeks’ time followed by the home match with Wellington. The Papa John’s Cup may bring some joy and the draw for that remains to be seen. The continual disruption of the side fielded has certainly not helped matters this season and last Saturday there were seven changes from the team from the week before. However, credit must be given to the players and coaches for sticking with this battle – we have had our moments – we needed many more and maybe they will come in these last few matches.
England outside of the then National Leagues and recognised by a special award to the club at a dinner held at
Notwithstanding dilemmas at 1st XV level, these have continued down in the United XV but when that side has been able to field a representative team, it has done well as amplified in its recent results and with an opportunity of expanding on that in the last few games of the season.
Our last match of the season against Wellington will be sponsored by The Friends of Bridgwater & Albion –the usual pre-match lunch is on and we hope that members will support both the Friends and the club for this final league game of the season.
Any indication of Cup matches will not be announced until after the conclusion of the league programme (11 March for most) but it is intended to provide clubs with four more games – two home and two away before knock-out progress to the conclusion. Watch this space.
Two weeks ago our United XV visited Chard where the high riding home side are in third place in the league. However, we gathered a team together and played well and won 26-24 coming from behind to achieve victory. Last Saturday sadly local opposition Morganians did not materialise and it appears that the club there is somewhat struggling. Today, the team is at Wells II looking for the double and will be at Wiveliscombe II next Saturday in a rearranged match.
WOMEN’S XV POWER ON
Our Women’s XV visited Wiveliscombe last Friday night and came away with a double and a 57-7 victory. This will have given our ladies some boost before the tougher league encounters which they have already experienced and which they have to complete to fulfil their league programme.
MEMORIES FROM PAST GAMES – DO YOU RECOGNISE ANYONE?
The main article in this programme referred to previous encounters v Truro and it is worth centring upon two of those. In 2002/23 in the home game on 15 February 2003 we won 27-18 with the following XV:Griffiths; Fucase Webber S Triggol Hancock; Edmonds Drabble; Heyns S Ranson M Ranson Taylor Cox Stiling Norris Bryant. Replacements: Passmore Hunt Drewett.
The following season in January 2004 in a 38-9 home victory, our team was:Hake; Meyer Webber Knox S Triggol; George Reed; Ncunyana S Ranson M Ranson Cox Cormack Bryant Hastie Stiling. Replacements: Marsh Hafoka Northey.
Scorers were Knox (a Dutch international) 2T, Hancock T, Webber T, Hake T, Triggol T, George 4C.
The significance is that a much younger Roger Drabble and Matt Ranson appeared in the 2003 match and Matt repeated the performance a year later. They are still in our squad today. A splendid achievement and a commendable longevity of playing career and span in a 1st XV.
TODAY’S MATCH SPONSORS
Our match today is sponsored by Maxwells Chartered Accountants – our longest supporting sponsors – over almost 40 years now. Perhaps not surprising as former Senior Partner Mike Berry is also our President and stalwart player – having been connected with the club since 1965. Maxwells always bring a good crowd to these occasions and they relish the day and we hope that the teams will produce something for them to remember to make it all worthwhile. The club is indebted to Maxwells and indeed our other sponsors for their continuing support.
