27/09/08 - Div 1 - ALBERT PARK v HAYDOCK

[the rock]

After bowing out of the Lancashire cup last weekend at Blackbrook, the Albert re-focus their attention to the Div 1 campaign and play hosts to St Helens outfit Haydock.

Haydock rejected promotion last season having finished runners-up in the 1st division, so they are potentially a premiership side. 
So this will make it 3 prem sides in 3 weeks for the Bert.

lessons learnt from the previous two games will be the key to success for the Albert, if they can do that then they should be able to claim the 2 points.

KO is 2.30pm at The Parklands

[leppo]

good luck to the bert lads

[beefcake]

Good luck Albert, shut down wayne bloor and you'll be alright. He'll be 6 or 13 most probably small dark haired stocky fella. Tough start for you lads this season though probably couldn't be tougher in fact. I wouldn't begin to judge yourselves until at least 10 fixtures in division 1 things will take shape then.

[the waterboy]

does fat marshy still play for haydock. if not youll hear him onthe sideline.

[mjb]

he did do last year,took 3balls up and that was him done
and as you said became the mouth !!!!

[the rock]

Is that the same "fat marshy" that used to play for blackbrook?

[LeedsViking]

Albert 33 - 32 Haydock

Quite a game at the Parklands this afternoon...  Haydock reduced to 12 men within the first five minutes when the referee spotted a Haydock player biting, and immediately brandished the Red Card.

Despite the reduction in numbers it was Haydock who crossed the whitewash twice to open up a 12 - 0 lead, before the Albert could respond with a try of their own.

Both sides crossed once more before a real golden spell for the visitors saw them score several good tries without response, opening up a lead of 20 points by the mid point in the second half.

With their backs against the wall and looking the beaten side, the Albert suddenly found their form, and in a dramatic ten minute spell crossed the line three times, and kicked a penalty to tie the game at 32 points each.

With only a few minutes on the clock the drama increased when the Albert slotted over a drop goal to take the lead for the first time, but on the very next drive they gave away a penalty 40 yards out, Haydock electing to take the kick to try and secure the win.  The crowd and players held their breath as the kicked drifted wide of the left hand post, the Albert running the ball out, and controlling play in the centre of the field before the referee blew the final whistle to give the Albert their first win of the season, and getting their Division One campaign under way!

[DLM]

Cheers for covering the game again LeedsViking. I and all the lads will look forward to seeing the pictures tomorrow.

It was a fantastic game and to get our 1st win in Division 1 means everything to the lads.

Obviously the sending off played a big part (it was a certain sending off) but we was against an excellent Haydock team who had won the league last season and started this year very well too, so we knew how hard it would be.

Some very poor defence and ball control by the Albert let Haydock control the game and biuld up what I am sure everyone there thought would be a winning 32-12 points lead. But for all our earlier poor play in the last 20mins the Albert were excellent. We know we ain't the best side around by a long chalk, but what we do have is a group of lads who have great desire and a never say die attitude. We put together some great rugby in the last 20mins as we got some momentum, kept the ball and Haydock visably tired.

Not many tipped us for a win today and although we as a group thought we actually played better in our previous 2 loses, it was brilliant to get our 1st win against one of the league favourites.

All credit to the Haydock lads too who stuck at it with 12 men and will be disappointed with the outcome. It was hard with the late summer!

We have a week off next week now for the SL Grand Final and then hopefully we can continue to build on todays result.

Thanks to all who came up to watch today too.
Not often you get a 33-32 result!

Match report and pictures from the club will be on our website tomorrow evening.

Regards

DLM

[the rock]

well im left with nothing to add it seems but to say well done to the lads today.

after going down to 12-32, ionstead of heads going down, a few influential payers lost their rag and started to play their own style of rugby, which lead us to the win.

letting teams take an early lead is something the Albert have done for the past few years, but we've managed to come good in the end.

hopefully as DLM said, we can kick on now and get our season well and truely under way.

and to echo DLMs comments, thanks to LV and all who came to support the albert today.  Mega to see so many faces watching.

ROLL ON SATURDAY WEEK

UP THE BERT

the place to find the match report(forun) and photos (gallery) tommorrow evening is www.albertpark.org.uk

 

[mascoviking]

Watched the game myself today, and was contemplating going home just after half time, with the Albert looking well and truly a beaten side, and devoid of any attcking idea's, then suddenly the Albert halfbacks decided to work together and start backing up play and completley ripped open a quickly tiring Haydock defence, with some great tries and fantastic support play by the backs and forwards. Thought the ref made a couple of dubious decisions against the Albert late on, but they hung on well for a very good comeback. Best of luck for the rest of the season lads.   

[the rock]

match report is now online in the "match reports" section, in the forum at www.albertpark.org.uk

 

[LeedsViking]

match report is now online in the "match reports" section, in the forum at www.albertpark.org.uk

 

.... and photos now online HERE

[the rock]

as always very good pictures  LV, and much appreciated. 

[cjl]

Great result lads, well done.

[the rock]

some additional photos to supliment the ones LV took, are now online in the gallery at www.albertpark.org.uk