Match Report – Caldy 47 -vs- Plymouth Albion 28

Five tries in the first half with no rely by Albion put Caldy in complete control of this game. However, if games were won on possession statistics Plymouth Albion could have been ahead at the break. The visitors monster pack of forwards dominated the ball for long periods but had little in the way of a cutting edge to translate this into scores.

In contrast Caldy were clinical. The Wirral side’s offloading game produced results from nearly every scrap of possession with first half tries by Ollie Hearn, Elliot Gourlay, Callum Ridgway, Nick Royle and Ben Jones, with Jones converting 4 out of 5.

All of the Caldy scores were sublime. Just 5 minutes into the game scrumhalf Joe Murray produced a pinpoint chip kick over the heads of the Albion defence enabling Ben Jones to gather and score in the corner and subsequently convert his own score from the touchline.

A 22-50 kick by stand off Ezra Hinchcliffe gave Caldy a line out 10 metres out from which they drove hooker Ollie Hearn over for the first of his two scores. When second row Martin Gerrard ran a great line to slice open the Albion defence it brought up Caldy’s third try by full back Elliot Gourlay converted by winger Ben Jones.

Caldy’s bonus point score came from an Albion mistake as they inadvertently deflected a Caldy relieving kick into touch. Some great interplay after the successful lineout put flanker Callum Ridgeway away for a run to the posts from the Albion 22.

The fifth Caldy try of the half was the most individual of scores from the evergreen speedster Nick Royle who discarded his normal chip and chase tactic and just lit the after-burners, outpacing 4 Albion defenders to score in the corner.

Initially the second half looked likely to be a replay of the first as Caldy scored again through Hearn but Albion rallied to score through Alex Ducker to give the visitors some hope of a resurgence. When the tireless Aigbokhae scored the home side’s seventh try after 55 minutes, Caldy brought on the entire home bench.

The positional and personnel changes disrupted Caldy’s earlier rhythm allowing Albion to pick up another three tries through flanker George Mills, replacement Harry Wilkinson and stand off Thomas Putt who converted all of the visitor’s scores.

Caldy will be reasonably satisfied with the bonus point win which keeps them ahead of the chasing pack but will need to redouble their efforts next week when they travel to Yorkshire to face a redoubtable Leeds side looking to move away from the relegation places.

For their part Plymouth Albion picked up what could be an invaluable 4 try bonus point.