BRIDGWATER & ALBION v OLD BRISTOLIANS
SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 2025
KICK-OFF 15.00
Match Day Programme
BRIDGWATER & ALBION v OLD BRISTOLIANS
SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER 2025
ALBION GLAD TO BE AT HOME AT LAST AS BRISTOLIANS SEEK TO CONSOLIDATE LAST SEASON’S GOOD PROGRESS
After three weeks on the road and idling last Saturday, Bridgwater & Albion 1st XV at last play their first home match of the season in our prestigious 150th season. Today’s visitors Old Bristolians (OB) are also celebrating a notable landmark – their centenary and we congratulate on that achievement and wish them a successful season.
Ironically both sides will be looking to get off the league mark today as both have lost their opening two encounters. OB lost their first outing at Nailsea & Backwell 17-27 and then succumbed at home to Dings Crusaders II 36-61 the following week. OB got back to their winning ways in the RFU Community Cup –Counties 1 Championship with an away win at Gordano (who will be our league opponents this season) with a 24-5 victory and now progress to meet Nailsea & Backwell in the second round at the end of October. OB had a great run in the Papa John’s Cup last season reaching the final and narrowly losing 24-28 to Ealing Trailfinders (amateur).
September 2023 saw the first meetings between the clubs with Albion securing the double in 2023/24 with a 31-24 win at Failand and 28-0 here in December 2023; last season OB won 39-19 at home after racing to a 29-0 lead after 25 minutes but in the return match in January, Albion turned tail with a last minute penalty by Kyran Devitt giving us an amazing 48-45 win in a game where OB were at one stage 35-19 up. This was of course part of Albion’s miraculous recovery in the second half of last season when we were able to overturn other earlier heavy defeats and eventually finish in 6th place in the league.
Even at this early stage of the season, it is clear that league newcomers Dings Crusaders II are throwing their weight and speed about as both of today’s teams have already experienced. Bridgwater & Albion encountered them first at Shaftesbury Park and like OB, we claimed a bonus point but went down 24-71. The match in the following week at Taunton II went much better when we could have clinched it – going down 27-33. Once again, our forwards did well in the set and loose but Taunton’s counter-attacking in the backs proved a handful and in the end it was a soft try which we yielded which was the difference.
Albion went in to these opening league games shorn of several key personnel who were injured in the pre-season games and some are still to return. We have already had several changes to the sides fielded to date. There was an opportunity to secure a first victory at Wiveliscombe in the RFU Community Cup – Counties 1 South Plate but we failed to make best use of the sloping pitch in the first half scoring only 10 points. The home side kept control in the second half and clinched the winner.
On the opening day of the season Tom West made his 50th appearance in the 1st XV and his profile is set out elsewhere in this programme.
Albion now have three successive weeks of action with a visit to Clifton II next Saturday followed by a home match against Chosen Hill Former Pupils on 18 October.
Saturday 11 October
United XV v Wellington II
Kick-off 1430
Saturday 18 October
1st XV v Chosen Hill Former Pupils Kick-off 1500
Dirtrackers XV v Burnham-on-Sea II Kick-off 1430
Sunday 19 October
Womens XV v Swanage and Wareham Kick-off 1400
UNITED XV SHOW IMPROVED FORM AT WELLS
After the postponement of the opening game of the season against Crewkerne, our United XV travelled to Weston-super-Mare II on a Friday evening and although well in the game at 14-17 at half-time, they fell away substantially in the second half to be defeated 21-57. The side was considerably disrupted by injury and the fact that there was no game in the following week meant that thoughts and bodies were refreshed and a different looking XV travelled to Wells last Saturday. Wells are the league leaders at present and held a 130 lead with ten minutes to go – it was only then that Albion stepped up their game to get anywhere near a sensible result. Then suddenly coming to life, we ran in two fine tries from our wings Aiden Robinson and Lewis Randall to close the gap to 10-13 and secure a welcome bonus point. Perhaps the most rewarding feature was the first appearance from Shaun Mahoney for over two years as he has recovered from injury and it was notable that he produced some of his characteristic bursts and hopefully many more to come now that he is back in action. Today the United travel to Taunton to meet Wyvern with whom we had two excellent encounters last season.
DIRTRACKERS XV GET OFF THE MARK
Our Dirtrackers XV brought about the club’s first win of the season last Saturday when they defeated Wells II here 51-15. That followed two earlier away defeats at Wincanton 19-28 and Tor II 24-38. Today the team plays Weston-super-Mare III on the back pitch.
WOMENS XV CHASTENED BY EARLY RESULTS
Our Women’s XV kicked off their season by hosting Raleigh Venom from North Carolina on 17 September. The Americans were in UK taking in the Women’s World Cup. An unknown quantity but all was revealed at the end of the game with the visitors comprehensively winning 50-5 against our game and spirited side. Alas, matters did not improve on the following Sunday as North Dorset came and plundered a 45-12 win here. Our Womens side was due to play at Wiveliscombe last night in their next league match.
