It wasn’t perfect but a win is a win and Old Albanian are entitled to be delighted to have won away from home for the first time this season with a 19-17 success at Westcliff.

The Southend-based rugby club have had a baptism of fire since their promotion last year but on the evidence of this match they are starting to come to terms with what is expected in the higher division.

he first half had many of the travelling supporters feeling it might be another fruitless away afternoon as the two tries from the hosts either side of Nic Defeo score gave them a 14-5 lead at the break.

OAs approach was better in the second quarter but it still took until the start of the second half for anything substantial to be claimed from the staunch Westcliff defence.

Skipper Jamie Townsend crossed the whitewash followed by Joe Butler with 10 minutes to go.

A penalty lowered the margin to two but it was as close as the hosts would get despite two further kicks at goal.