Plymouth Albion kicked off their National One campaign in style on Saturday, producing a dominant 62–5 victory over newly promoted Clifton RFC in front of a packed Brickfields crowd.
The result followed Albion’s convincing win over Leeds Tykes last weekend, with Head Coach Ryan Lamb’s men looking sharp and clinical once again under the sunshine in Devon.
First Half: Albion Run Riot
Clifton started brightly, pushing for territory, but it didn’t take long for Albion to take control.
- Joel Broadhurst opened the scoring after skipping two tackles to touch down. Frankie Dart slotted the conversion.
- Harry Wilkinson powered over for Albion’s second, Dart converting brilliantly from out wide.
- Shea Cornish added a third try after a perfectly placed kick from Harry Legg.
Albion were relentless. A penalty try and a moment of magic from Oscar Stewart who chipped ahead, chased, and scored saw the hosts go into half-time 35–0 ahead.
Second Half: More of the Same
Clifton managed an early score after the break through Matt Smith, but it proved a brief fightback. Albion continued to dominate territory and possession.
- Wilkinson claimed his second try after a strong lineout drive.
- Stewart stole possession before setting up Dart for another score.
- Cornish added his second, chasing another pinpoint kick from Legg.
- Gabe Mead bulldozed over twice in the closing stages, with Morgan Stone providing a key assist in his 50th club appearance.
By full time, Albion had racked up nine tries in a statement victory: 62–5.
Reaction: “Fantastic Start” Says Ryan Lamb
Head Coach Ryan Lamb praised his side’s ruthless edge:
“Obviously a really good result. To score sixty points at home on the first day is fantastic. I thought we were really good coming out of the blocks, not wanting it to be an arm wrestle in that first twenty or thirty minutes, but we were really clinical again.
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To be honest I think we could have had a few more points in the first half as the lineout didn’t function too well, but I think there are a lot of parts of our game that are functioning really well, so we have got to keep building on that.”
Oscar Stewart, making his home debut and named Man of the Match, was equally delighted:
“It feels really good, thank you. You can’t complain after a result like that, especially when it’s the first home game. We knew it was going to be a big game and we performed well.”
Speaking about playing in front of the Brickfields crowd, Stewart added:
“It’s a hell of a crowd down here and we played some running rugby, so I hope that everyone who has come down has enjoyed that.”
What’s Next for Albion?
Albion now head to Hertfordshire to face Bishop’s Stortford in Round Two. Lamb warned his players not to get complacent:
“Bishops are very strong at home and pose different threats. We’ll enjoy tonight, reset, and come back ready. It gets tougher every week – but it’s been a fantastic start to build on.”
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