Western Counties (North): Bridgwater & Albion 14-35 Nailsea and Backwell

BRIDGWATER and Albion started life in Western Counties North with a home game against Nailsea and Backwell whose bulky pack proved to be quite a handful and ran out the winners, scoring seven converted tries to the host’s two, writes Richard Walsh.

New captain Taylor Buller led a team most comprising of players who were with the club last campaign, with the addition of new recruit Harrison Greenslade and the returning Kyran Devitt and Jake Knight.

The bulky Nailsea pack proved to be quite a handful throughout and were a major influence on the visitor’s opening score which came following a  penalty to touch and the ensuing line out which found Cook who went over for a try which Jones converted. 

Albion drew level almost from the re-start when Tom Croal picked up on a clearance and ran 40 metres to the line to score a try which Greenslade converted.

Nailsea worked their way well into Albion territory and on 18 minutes regained the lead through a Cook try which Jones again converted.

The hosts responded strongly and a series of good passes saw them deep inside the Nailsea 22 metre line but sadly the attack foundered.

Just before the half hour mark Nailsea extended their lead when second row forward Sharp scored a try which Jones added the extras to.

Nailsea took advantage of another penalty that they kicked to touch and from which centre Wood scored a try which Jones converted.

Just on the half time mark good work involving Jake Knight saw Kyran Devitt clear through but he was brought down just short of the line making the score at the interval 7-28.

Albion looked much more even in the second half, but in the 56th minute a penalty that yielded a line out saw the Nailsea Number 8, Cox score a try which the boot of Jones duly converted.

The last 20 minutes or so of the game saw Albion creating several scoring opportunities one of which involving Devitt and Croal threatened the Nailsea line but sadly came to nothing.

On 70 minutes Albion drove well and were duly rewarded when Harrison Cornish scored a try which Greenslade converted, which made the final score 35-14 to the visitors.

Team: Kyran Devitt, Tom Croal, Jay Owens, James Collings, Danny Mahoney, Harrison Greenslade, Jake Knight, Taylor Buller (Captain), George Sluman, Harrison Cornish, Tom West, Lee Parker, Cam Modley, and Ben Howden.

Replacements all used- Gavin Knight, Tom Hopkins and Scott Franklin.