By Frank Stormont
February 2 2007

Albion travel to Birmingham and hope to break the ron of loses.  

Camp Birmingham

Saturday 2:00

Pertemps have not been doing well recently on the park and behind the scenes but Albion should not think that they are in for an easy ride as there is no such thing as an easy match in National League One this season.

For the second time this year travelling fans hoping to see ex Albion players in action will be disappointed as Stewart Pearl is unfit due to a hand injury gained against Rotherham last week.

Pertemps have only won two league matches since the beginning of December against Coventry and Moseley.  They also saw off our neighbours Launceston in the EDF Trophy 19-12 last month and have a nice draw against Nuneaton next week. Over the last 8 league matches they have scored 118 points and conceded 232 (55 of them against Nottingham)

Pertemps Bees: 15 Jon Goodridge; 14 Matt Nuthall, 13 Tristan Davies, 12 Simon Martin, 11 Brodie Henderson; 10 Rod Petty, 9 Reece Spee; 1 Neil Fowkes, 2 Matt Miles, 3 Matt Long, 4 Mark Gabey, 5 Mark Cornwell (captain), 6 Dean Miller, 7 Akapusi Qera, 8 Leo Halavatau. Replacements: Alex Davidson, Brendan Lynch, Mark George, Rob Elloway, Will Matthews, Mike Baxter, Jon Higgins.

Rob Elloway is on loan from Gloucester to cover for Stewart Pearl who broke his hand last week against Titans. Will Mathews and Jon Higgins are on the bench after injury and illness.

 

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National League One

* The Newbury/Pertemps match on 30th Dec was abandoned after 17 minutes and will need to be replayed at a later date

 

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Previous meetings

14th October 2006

Albion 38 Pertemps 29

A memorable match that saw Wihan just miss the club record for points scored in a league match just two short of the 25 scored by Demonic Cuddy against Met Police in '88 and Nick Burt against Charlton in 97

Alllbion    This is ...    Opponents 

Team: Wihan Neethling, Ed Lewsey, Regardt van Eyk, Keni Fisilau, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Nigel Cane, Martin Rice, Richard Oxley, Scott Zimmerman, Colin Stewart, Ben Gulliver, Federico Genoud, Danny Thomas, Tom Hayes Replacements: Arran Cruickshanks, Nat Saumi(used), Jon Fabian, Tim Mathias, James Owen(used), Brett Stroud, Chris Lowrie(used)

Scorers :- Tries Ben Gulliver, Keni Fisilau, Regardt van Eyk, 2xWihan Neethling Penalties Wihan Neethling Conversions 5xWihan Neethling

 

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Last trip to Birmingham

10th September 2005

Pertemps 24  Albion 13

This is ... report

Team: Jon Fabian, Tom Arscott, Keni Fisilau, Luke Arscott, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Mat Albina, Martin Rice, Stuart Friswell, Ryan Hopkins, Nic Rouse, Tom Hayes, Martin  Schusterman, Danny Thomas, Chris Lowrie  Reps: Nigel Cane, Regardt van Eyk, Scott Zimmerman, John Henry Brown. Nic Defty(used), Graham Dawe(used), Brett Luxton(used)

Scorers: Try: Friswell. Con: Fabian. Pens: Fabian, Barnes.

 

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Predictions

BetFred 

Albion to win by 15 points

 

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Terrace Talk

Ninth placed Pertemps Bees entertain fifth placed Plymouth Albion at Sharmans Cross Road looking to return to winning ways. 

The Bees have lost three of their last four matches to slip down the table a little. 

At home this season they have a poor record with just four wins in ten matches. 

Albion have now suffered three straight defeats in the league to fall off the pace and now find themselves 11 points behind the leaders. 

On the road Albion have played 11 matches this season and picked up seven wins along the way. 

When the sides met earlier in the season at Brickfields Albion were 38-29 winners

Prediction: Albion to win by five points at Sharmans Cross. 

Rest of League TT 

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Rugby Round up

Three defeats in a row has seen Albion slip to fifth place – a whopping eleven points off top spot. Such a run must be tough on morale but all their defeats have been close and against difficult opposition. The Bees are in a comfortable ninth position and have not beaten any of the top five this season. 

Albion to get back to winning ways with a nine point win.

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Rugby Times

Not available

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Frank's prediction.

With so many changes to the team and possible returns from injury a difficult to give an accurate prediction but Albion will not be happy with anything other than a solid win.  So Pertemps 11 Albion 25

Don't forget you can register your own predictions!

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BBC Weather

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Officials

Referee: Adrian Hartwell
Touch judges: Richard Draper, Peter Facey
Assessor: John Haggart

Other Matches

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Other top team matches this weekend

Other top 5 team matches that might effect the league lead

Saturday

Coventry(10) v Doncaster(4) [Cov by "3 Donny by ⁺7 *9 ^#5]

Sunday

Cornish Pirates(3) v Sedgley Park(12) [ Pirates by "25 ⁺13 *25 ^#12]

Leeds Tykes(1) v Bedford(6) [Leeds by "3 ⁺7 *10 ^#8]

Nottingham(8) v Rotherham Titans(2) [ Roth by "5 ⁺7 *15 ^#10]

 

*BetFred Handicaps
⁺Terrace Talk
^#Rugby Roundup
"Franks prediction
^£Rugby Times

 

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Albion matters

Sorry a bit limited and late this week.

Shifts in the team line up see Ed Barnes move to the bench and Regardt van Eyk out of the squad altogether.

Speculation goes around that Ed Barnes is on his way to Bristol and that is why he is not in the starting line-up but with Regardt out then Graham is probably looking at the safe boot of David Delaney to secure the kicking points and his natural place is at fly.

With Tom Arscott still out sick Ed Lewsey moves back to the wing where he started the season and Jon Fabian drops back to the bench.

For the first time in Albion colours the Tonga dual line up side by side in the centre.

Team: Nat Saumi, Ed Lewsey, Keni Fisilau, Sila Vaenuku, Nic Sestaret, David Delaney, Nigel Cane, Martin Rice, James Owen, Scott Zimmerman, Brett Stroud, Tom Hayes, Federico Genoud, Danny Thomas, Chris Lowrie

Replacements (from): Tim Mathias, Richard Oxley, Dan Smith, Mike Lewis, Arran Cruickshanks, Wihan Neethling, Ed Barnes, Jon Fabian

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Westcountry Warriors

Warriors travel to Clifton on Monday to take on Bristol United in the return visit. They narrowly lost to Bristol last moth after a late penalty try was awarded. It also saw Sila Va'Enuku score two tries off the back of mauls.

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Ladies

Ladies have no match this weekend.

Last week saw them beat Exeter Saracens 49 - 0 Report