Old Albanians discovered last Saturday that size really does matter. It mattered especially when the smaller visiting pack accounted for itself heroically in the first hour of this feisty encounter only to face an even larger set of replacements in the front five for the final quarter. There was little Jamie Townsend and his men could do in the tight scrum after this point and the three penalties which were conceded, when push certainly came to shove, largely formed the difference between the two sides.

Up till then OAs would not have been too unhappy with this showing and indeed they took the plaudits for a more effective performance in the first half. Morgan Thompson used the wind effectively to pin his opponents back and Alex Ricci took advantage wide out on the left.

Roddy Giles couldn’t quite manage the tricky conversion but he nailed a penalty almost on the half hour once more after Thompson’s adroit use of the boot.

Chris Napier had a storming half, always wanting work and proving a proper nuisance to Reds all game. Yet it was the home side who finished this period stronger and Matt Baker finished neatly for an unconverted score. So far so good.

Fifteen minutes later Reds crossed again, this time skipper Dan Fry claimed the honours and Ashley Groves improved. The lead had changed hands.

The development in the tight scrum, already referred to, proved crucial to the result and what had been an open game largely closed up as Reds pushed home their dominance.

Brian Quinn,

Press