NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 34

PLYMOUTH ALBION 15

National League One Round 5

Franklin’s Gardens

Saturday, 29 September 2007

Saints set their stall out from the opening seconds. The kick-off won, Stephen Myler sent the ball along the backline, and with good running lines and well-timed passes play was taken quickly into the Plymouth half. The play broke down but the intention was clear.

Plymouth had also come to play, despite their reputation as a forward-oriented outfit. Having held the Saints in the initial exchanges they set about trying to build some phases of their own 10 minutes into the half.

Unfortunately for the visitors the Saints defenders too were up to the challenge and won the ball at a ruck 15 metres inside their own half. With space out wide the ball was sent along the line. Straight running from Robbie Kydd and Carlos Spencer sliced through the Plymouth defence and Bruce Reihana came off his wing to finish the job between the sticks.

Myler converted and added a penalty four minutes later and for the rest of the first half the Saints dominated. They couldn’t turn the possession and territory into any further points however although the forwards gave it several goes.

Two penalties in relatively quick succession, the second of which had Kydd sent to the sin bin, had Saints back on their own line defending a lineout. A lack of precision from the forwards handed the ball back to Saints and with a 40-metre Mark Hopley break from a scrum the hosts were back on the offensive.

Myler’s second penalty took Saints 13 points clear but two moments of Albion magic had them back in the game at the break. Firstly Nic Sestaret’s break from his own half created havoc and space for Arran Cruickshanks to score in the corner. Then in injury-time Liam Gibson outpaced both Paul Diggin and Spencer to score between the sticks. Ross Laidlaw added one conversion and the half ended with Saints leading 13-12.

There was an early scare for Saints in the second half when Gibson again threatened to break clear. Diggin wrapped him up this time and within five minutes had exacted some revenge by powering over after powerful approach work by the forwards and good use of space by the backs. Myler added the conversion and Saints had a useful cushion once more.

The margin was increased 10 minutes later. This time it was turn for Plymouth to pay for their indiscretions as from a Myler kick to the 22-metre line the forwards built up some steam. The ball went right once more and Darren Fox showed great strength to get the ball down. Myler added his third conversion and though Laidlaw pulled a penalty back two minutes later Saints still had a 14-point advantage going into the third quarter.

Paul Shields came on for his debut and his good throw set up a fantastic position with 10 minutes to play. With Chris Ashton on as well and looking for action, and Neil Starling given his first Saints action in two-and-a-half years, Saints were pushing for the bonus point.

Ashton came close to scoring twice in the final two minutes, firstly from a Myler chip then from a well-timed run into the line. Both chances ended in five-metre scrums, the first for Saints, the second for Plymouth, and Ashton’s attempted pass was symptomatic of the way Saints tried to force the play in seeking the bonus point.

It finally came with the final play of the match. In trying to run the ball from their dead-ball line Plymouth turned the ball over at a breakdown five metres out. The ball went right and Christian Short stretched over for the try. Myler converted with the final kick of the match.

Teams:
Northampton Saints – Spencer; Diggin (Ashton 61mins), Kydd (Starling 76mins), Downey, Reihana (capt); Myler, Vass (Brake 76mins); Emms, Ward (Shields 61mins), Stewart, Lord (Browne 65mins), Short, Tupai (Rudzki 57mins), Fox, Hopley.

Plymouth Albion – Lewis (Neethling 61mins); Gibson, Cruickshanks, Davies, Sestaret; Laidlaw, Lewsey (Cane 76mins); Mathias (Rice 55mins), Owen (Oxley 61mins), Barretto (Davies 65mins), Stewart, Gulliver (Hayes 61mins), Stroud, Kettle, Bornman (capt).

Scorers:
Northampton Saints – Tries: Reihana, Diggin, Fox, Short; Cons: Myler (4); Pens: Myler (2).

Plymouth Albion – Tries: Cruickshanks, Gibson; Con: Laidlaw; Pen: Laidlaw.

Yellow card:
Kydd (26mins)

Travis Perkins man of the match:
Darren Fox

Attendance:
10,099

TIMELINE:
9mins SAINTS Try Reihana Con Myler 7-0
13mins SAINTS Pen Myler 10-0
26mins SAINTS Yellow card Kydd
34mins SAINTS Pen Myler 13-0
38mins ALBION Try Cruickshanks 13-5
40+1mins ALBION Try Gibson Con Laidlaw 13-12
HALF-TIME SAINTS 13 ALBION 12
46mins SAINTS Try Diggin Con Myler 20-12
56mins SAINTS Try Fox Con Myler 27-12
60mins ALBION Pen Laidlaw 27-15
84mins SAINTS Try Short Con Myler 34-15
FULL-TIME SAINTS 34 ALBION 15