South West 1 West
Bridgwater & Albion 8, Drybrook 37

DESPITE playing with 14 men for most of the game, Bridgwater & Albion put up a brave fight against a well-organised Drybrook side, but in the end it was the visitors who ran out the deserved winners.

The Gloucestershire side opened the scoring in the first minute, when Stevenson kicked a penalty, but it was cancelled out when Stuart Heal – captain on his 100th club appearance – slotted one for Albion soon afterwards.

On 10 minutes the hosts had Heal yellow carded, and Drybrook made the most of their advantage when after a quarter of an hour winger Howells scored an unconverted try, and they followed that with a score from prop Hale, to which Stevenson added the extras.

Just before the half hour, Albion’s Shaun Mahoney was sent off for foul play, but despite this the home side held out strongly for the next 10 minutes.

Shortly before the interval, Drybrook made their pressure count when number 8 Gardner went over for a try that Stevenson converted, followed by an unconverted try from Will Greenway.

Bridgwater came out strongly after the break, but on 57 minutes Sam Peaper went over for another five-pointer.

The home side kept coming forward, and on 67 minutes they were rewarded when Arron Kelly – a new signing from Teignmouth – scored a debut try.

J. Tingle finished it off for Drybrook, to make the final score 8-37.

Bridgwater & Albion: Matt Ranson, Sam Adcock, Lewis Phillips, Ethan Trebble-Westlake, Arron Kelly, Shaun Mahoney, George Sluman, Brad Talbot,Adam Conybeare, Stuart Heal (capt), Joe Clark, Luke Plummer, Ryan Barnett, Kyran Devitt, Tom Fournier. Replacements (all used): Craig Blyde, Luke Bremerton, Oscar Tregenna.

***

BRIDGWATER & Albion’s head coach Simon Morrell remains upbeat despite his side’s 37-8 home defeat by slick Drybrook on Saturday.

Albion had Shaun Mahoney red carded 30 minutes in, and Morrell said afterwards: “You’re not going to get back in the game with 14 men on the pitch.

“But there are plenty of positives to take out of it, and the boys who finished the match were exceptional against a very good and well-drilled side.

“They are about 12 months ahead of us in terms of development [and] put 100 points past Bideford only seven days earlier.

“We have a blank weekend coming up, which means we have a fortnight for some players to get over their injuries.

Albion 1st XV’s next game in the league is away to leaders Exeter University on Saturday, October 21.