London Three North West St Albans 32 Imperial Medicals 3 ST ALBANS bounced back from last week s disappointing defeat to comprehensively out play the medical students on Saturday, running in five tries. Imperial came to Boggymead with confidence high, ha

London Three North West

St Albans 32 Imperial Medicals 3

ST ALBANS bounced back from last week's disappointing defeat to comprehensively out play the medical students on Saturday, running in five tries. Imperial came to Boggymead with confidence high, having won their last four games, but they came across a St Albans side determined to get their season back on track.

Again St Albans were forced to shuffle their resources as their injury list lengthened but they played with great spirit and the return of Martin Alderton to the centre, after a long lay off, bolstered the midfield. Heavy rain during the week had left the first team pitch a bit sticky and the Students asked for the game to be switched to the second team pitch which the referee agreed to.

Imperial started the game at a great pace, running the ball from all parts of the pitch. They opened the scoring after only three minutes with a penalty when St Albans were penalised at a ruck and should have gone further ahead on ten minutes when their kicker fluffed a kick from under the posts. After this they never really threatened again.

St Albans gradually got their game going and started to dominate the set pieces. On fifteen minutes, they were awarded a penalty but they turned an easy three points down and took a quick penalty, with Joe Shaw bundling his way over the line and Mark Kentish adding the conversion.

Imperial continued to play a very open style but they were knocked back by good tackling, with Brenton Lemiere and Dave Stanford being particularly destructive. Kentish extended the lead just before half time, with a straightforward penalty after an earlier long-range effort came back off the post.

St Albans completely dominated the second period and, with the forwards providing good, quick, ball the three-quarter line had a field day. They added four more tries from Kentish, Tom Grover, Ed Coy and Alderton. Alderton's try was the pick of the bunch and was the result of terrific interplay among the backs.

First Coy broke through the Medicals defence, coming off his wing and taking an inside pass from stand off Howard. When he was tackled, the forwards recycled at pace and Morete drove on, slipping the ball to winger Grover whose inside pass found Alderton. He side-stepped the cover and sprinted to the line. The students were saved further punishment as Kentish was only able to convert one of the second half tries.

St Albans remain third in the league but are now only behind Tabard on points difference. Dave Stanford was awarded the Man of the Match for his outstanding defence.

This week it's back to cup action in the EDF Senior Vase, with old friends Enfield Ignatians coming to town for a 2pm kick off.

St Albans: Brenton Lemiere, Andy Weldon, Brent Green, Tim Davy, Mark Davies, Joe Shaw, Dave Stanford, Justin Joubert, Andrew Still, Charlie Howard, James Dickenson , Doug Morette, Martin Alderton, Ed Coy, Mark Kentish. Replacements: Tom Grover, Craig Huddleston, David Scalan.