DIRT-TRACKERS AND FRIENDS PAID TRIBUTE IN BEST POSSIBLE WAY
Bridgwater & Albion’s Dirt-Trackers XV and many friends wound down the 2009/10 season with a special Memorial Match during which they paid tribute to their former colleagues Dean Cheffey and Trevor Field who tragically passed away in the last close season in May and July 2009 respectively. Both came up through the Albion Colts system and Dean, after giving up rugby soon after Colts, returned to the fold a few seasons ago and played with some considerable relish; Trevor was involved with Albion for a total of almost 40 years, having started as a Colt at the age of 14 and came up through the ranks. He also enjoyed a spell with North Petherton. Both were dedicated and popular members of any team they played for.
On Sunday 30 May the Dirt-Trackers entertained an invitation XV comprising many former Dirt-Tracker colleagues; players from North Petherton, Morganians, Taunton and Somerton; other Albion players – notably club captain Steve Hunt and regulars Dan Kemmish and Matt Hastie from the 1st XV.
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WSM III 13 - 12 Dirt-trackers
Match report by Mike Berry
Dirt trackers rue missed chances as promotion oppurtunities peter out
Albion’s Dirt-Trackers travelled to Weston-Super-Mare on Saturday intent on the season’s double, having beaten the home side 33-10 in the opening match of the season. They also hoped to clinch promotion to Somerset One – they needed to win to hold off Wellington II surge. Alas it was not to be with Albion missing several chances whilst Weston-Super-Mare seemed transformed in the second half when their gnarled and ageing pack was replaced by a lot more dynamism. This enabled Weston to obtain more of the ball and secure better positions from which they kicked two vital second half penalties – the only scores of the half.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 08:08 |
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Crewkerne 9 - 10 Dirt-trackers
Match report by Mike Berry
Dirt-trackers provide more than the scoreline suggests
Back in September Albion’s Athletic XV routed Crewkerne 77-0 at College Way and by that yardstick alone, could have expected a comfortable return at a damp and breezy recreation ground in Crewkerne on Saturday. However, the Dirt-Trackers had their wits about them and have acknowledged that most opponents in this second half of the season have tightened up their acts and have provided much sterner opposition and this was precisely the case.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 08:08 |
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Dirt-trackers 34 - 7 Wells II
Match Report by Mike Berry
Dirt-trackers' end home season unbeaten
Albion’s Dirt-Trackers have had a magnificent home playing record this season and were determined to maintain that in their last appearance at College Way for 2009/10 on Saturday. They had earlier beaten Wells 35 – 5 away and were looking to secure another double.
Albion had the benefit of losing the toss but choosing ends and kicking off and from the start their forwards set out their stall. In particular the lineout which faltered at Taunton in the previous week was back on song with Page-Symonds securing the ball with some considerable poise and this aligned to Hobbs attacking the opposition throw in gave Albion a fruitful supply of the ball. However in the early stages Albion’s good progress was halted by unnecessary penalties which gave the visitors relief.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 April 2010 14:43 |
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Taunton III 3 - 19 Dirt-trackers
Match report by Mike Berry
Dirt-trackers save best for last
Albion’s Athletic XV, buoyed by their narrow victory over nearest rivals Wellington II in the previous week, also expected a stern encounter at Taunton and they duly got it. Despite having the upper hand from the start, it took Albion some 29 minutes to break down Taunton’s defence for the first score. Already in the opening minutes it was clear that the Taunton scrum was likely to be under pressure all afternoon. Albion’s eight turned their opponents almost at will, often winning the put in; there were several takes against the head; and Albion’s driving caused Taunton’s 8/9 axis some problems.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 April 2010 07:56 |
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North Petherton II 3 - 24 Dirt-trackers
Match report by Mike Berry
Dirt-trackers finally wear down strong North Petherton resistance
Albion’s Dirt-Trackers, who had already lost three key players to long term injury, also had to do without their main cutting thrust – Drabble – as he was collared for 1st XV duty. However Albion assembled a large squad including some of their promising Colts XV and Damian Griffin was also available. As a result the Dirt-Trackers fielded probably their youngest three-quarter line for many seasons.
North Petherton were similarly blessed with an abundance of youth and they were first to show by attacking with some vigour and in just the 2nd minute Skipper Williams was denied a try by a forward pass. Petherton remained close to Albion’s line and Griffin gave the visitors breathing space when he intercepted a Petherton attack and took play to the other end.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 March 2010 17:42 |
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Dirttrackers Update
DIRT-TRACKERS REST BUT LAMENT INJURED PLAYERS
Team report by Mike Berry
Bridgwater & Albion’s Dirt-Trackers were idle last Saturday as there was no scheduled match despite the fact that there are still two earlier postponed matches to rearrange and the first of these will be on 27 February when they host Somerton, who incidentally went down to a third consecutive defeat last Saturday. The Crewkerne match has been rearranged for 3 April. Last Saturday’s day off will have again stunted the momentum gained in the hard-fought victory over Minehead Barbarians II the previous week and that came after the depressing defeat at Castle Cary and those two matches were the only games the team has played since 12 December. However this week the Dirt-Trackers are hoping to roar back to action at North Petherton, whom they comfortably beat 60-3 at College Way on October. Then there is the visit to Chard II who were also defeated at home in October and the clash with Somerton. The Wellington II home match on 13 March now takes on considerable significance in league terms as the Wellington side are now in second place and with several games in hand, but with one defeat more than Albion.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 08:52 |
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BRIDGWATER & ALBION ATHLETIC 10 MINEHEAD BARBARIANS II 0
DIRT-TRACKERS BACK TO FORM IN TOUGH ENCOUNTER
Albion’s Athletic XV, reeling from a surprise defeat at Castle Cary the previous week, needed to be on their mettle in this anticipated tough game against the Minehead second string. Earlier in the season, the Dirt-Trackers had prevailed 24-12 on the sloping fields at Ellicombe.
Albion welcomed back Drabble and Ward ended up having a busy afternoon on his return. In the opening stages Albion were under pressure mainly due to their penchant of giving away penalties and also because the Minehead breakaways were fast and furious into the tackle, particularly around the base of the scrum. They scrabbled ball and made good ground and it needed good Albion defence where Stukes and Stanley were particularly prominent to prevent any more headway. Albion soon fired themselves up and Willis and Grubb almost both burst through.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 08:52 |
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CASTLE CARY 22 - 10 BRIDGWATER & ALBION ATHLETIC
Albion’s Dirt-Trackers have not performed since 12 December and sadly it showed amongst the rural delights at Castle Cary on Saturday. Albion were forced to make several changes – Ball was back after prolonged absence but Ward and Drabble were missing.
Albion had the advantage of the slope in the first half and immediately took the game to the opposition. Stukes almost immediately left the field with a blood injury and Hicks temporarily replaced him.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 February 2010 18:29 |
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DIRT-TRACKERS FRUSTRATED BY INACTIVITY
Albion’s Dirt-Trackers XV (3rd XV) have been kicking their heels now since 12 December when they came back with a hefty 76-7 win at Martock. Since then the home game against Somerton was lost to the frost on 19 December; the Christmas break then intervened with perhaps an unnecessary two week gap; then snow abounded the Crewkerne ground (as elsewhere), so the side could not make their 2010 welcome; and perhaps more alarmingly, last Saturday’s opponents Ivel Barbarians II, withdrew on the morning of the match, citing their lack of players – they only had five.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 January 2010 07:35 |
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Dirt Trackers Delighted with Front Row Call Up to 1st XV Cause
You may have heard of the famous Pontypool front row and the ABC Club at Leicester, but they have nothing on the Albion Dirt-Trackers’ front row which was called up en masse to assist the beleaguered 1st XV in their match against Rosslyn Park last Saturday.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 December 2009 08:51 |
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BRIDGWATER & ALBION ATHLETIC 53 - 7 CHARD II
DIRT-TRACKERS TURN ON STYLE TO SWAMP OPPONENTS
Albion Athletic produced their most stylish performance of the season in a comprehensive victory over a game Chard side who were blasted away by the all-round power of the home team. Albion were still missing Stradling from their back row so Frost retained his place there with Damian Griffin appearing at stand-off. House made his seasonal debut to some telling effect in the absence of the vastly improving Grubb.
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Last Updated on Monday, 16 November 2009 14:15 |
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Bridgwater & Albion Athletic 31 - 12 Castle Cary
DIRT-TRACKERS FORCED TO BATTLE FOR WIN AND FINALLY CONCEDE POINTS
Albion Athletic started this game in typical style but was shaken by Cary’s come back just before half time and had to regroup and resisted the further attempt by the visitors to come back in the second half.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 December 2009 17:46 |
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Ivel Barbarians II 0 - 57 B&A Athletic DIRT-TRACKERS ONCE AGAIN BLANK OUT OPPONENTS
From the sublime to the ridiculous in terms of personnel, Bridgwater & Albion Athletic still managed to produce their best performance of the season in smashing Ivel Barbarians II at Yeovil on Saturday. Having used all 24 players in the previous week, Albion found themselves with just two replacements, as the veteran Berry was called upon to officiate in this match. However the lack of support did not threaten the overall performance. On a sloping pitch and with a strong breeze making matters difficult, Albion played with the elements and immediately took the ball to the opposition. In the eighth minute after Albion’s pack had made good ground and the backs had attempted to break through, a short pass to Grubb found him in the gap and he scored under the posts for Frost to kick the first of his six conversions in the game. |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 29 October 2009 13:17 |
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Bridgwater & Albion Athletic 77 - 0 Crewkerne
DIRT-TRACKERS “NIL” OPPONENTS ONCE AGAIN
The Dirt-Trackers, rampant in the opening 25 minutes at Somerton the previous week, repeated the dose again at College Way on Saturday when they completely outgunned a game but disorganised Crewkerne XV.
After a scrum followed the kick-off, Albion moved the ball down the left side where new wing Showering dashed 35 metres around the Crewkerne defence to score for Frost to convert. Five minutes later Webster, always impressive at No. 8 and later in the centre, picked up from a scrum in midfield and crossed unopposed. Frost added the extras. Five minutes after that Coates ran back one of the many errant Crewkerne kicks to some advantage and linked with Drabble who in turn sent Showering in for his second. Crewkerne had their first chance in the 14th minute but missed a 35 metre penalty and it was to be their only chance of the first half. After 23 minutes thrusts by firstly Webster and then Norman led to Page-Symonds crashing over after a concerted forward drive. On the half hour, Drabble and Webster made long progress in the Crewkerne half and Stukes took the final pass to score for Frost to convert. From the kick-off, Worgan caught the ball cleanly and a delightful move involving Webster, Norman and Stukes ended with Drabble racing in from 30 metres for Frost again to convert. Albion almost repeated the same again from the resultant kick-off as Showering was just held on the try line. Stukes limped off and Albion brought Lang on to the wing and switched Stradling to the back row. The half time lead of 38-0 was deserved mainly due to the concerted play of the Albion side.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 October 2009 20:18 |
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SOMERTON 0 - 24 B&A RFC Athletic
DIRT-TRACKERS WIN BATTLE OF UNBEATEN SIDES
Both sides had won their opening two encounters and so this was a crunch match. Somerton have improved their football year by year and are now difficult opponents, particularly up front. However Albion started with some tremendous play which suggested that an avalanche of points might be expected. They raced to a 24-0 lead in the first 25 minutes of the match before Somerton finally got to grips with the action and came back into the game. During this opening spell Albion scored tries through Norman, Willis, Ball and Lang with Frost converting two. They took full advantage of the slope and breeze surprisingly offered to them by Somerton. Albion lost Drabble at half time with an ankle injury and Somerton then took advantage of the ground and elements to ensure that they did most of the attacking in the second half but Albion’s defence held for the second week running. Albion did respond well and tried to add to their score but squandered several tries as the last pass failed.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 October 2009 20:18 |
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BRIDGWATER & ALBION ATHLETIC 33 WESTON SUPER MARE III 10
DIRT-TRACKERS’ SPLENDID START TO SEASON
Albion’s Athletic expected their opening match against Weston Super Mare III to be one of the toughest of the season and a match which could already influence the league title. Weston fielded a useful blend of experienced campaigners and some of their up and coming players. The likes of skipper Hill, Sparkes, Larkin, Coleman, Bush and Mingo and Mungo may have given them the veteran look and their efforts were supplemented by some fine play by the younger element. Albion despite fielding 27 players in a recent friendly and being overwhelmed in training were down to the bare XV and four men on the bench only but were also able to field a good balance of youth and experience with the skills in the vital positions.
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