2022 OPEN age TEAM FIXTURES
30th April - Canvey Island 18 -v- 32 Cents 07th May - Cents 30 -v- 10 Anglian Vipers 14th May - North Herts 26 -v- 40 Cents 21st May - Free Week 04th June - Brentwood 50 -v- 38 Cents (East League Cup Q Final) 11th June - Cambridge Pride 0 - 24 Cents 18th June - Cents 18 -v- 16 Bedford Tigers 25th June - Free Week 02nd July - Bedford Tigers 24 -v- 50 Cents 09th July - Cents 30 -v- 0 Cambridge Pride 16th July - Free Week 23rd July - Cents 24 -v- 0 Eastern Rhinos (Cup Semi Final 1) 30th July - Bedford -v- Crusaders (Cup Semi Final 2 ) 06th Aug - East League Grand Final, Cents 58 -v- 32 Bedford Tigers OVERVIEW
St Albans Centurions is an inclusive community club in the heart of St Albans. Training is Wednesday from 7pm. Location: Toulmin Drive Sports Ground, Toulmin Drive, St Albans, AL3 6DR |
Match Reports, taken from the Herts Advertiser
EAST RUGBY LEAGUE GRAND FINAL
St Albans Centurions 58 - 32 Bedford Tigers St Albans Centurions and Bedford Tigers crossed swords for the third time this season as the two top teams in the East League met in the season ending Grand Final. The large crowd that watched the game did not know that it would turn out to be a try-fest. The game was played at the neutral venue of Hemel Hempstead stadium. On a baking hot day, the game started with Bedford looking the more composed team, running in two converted tries in the first ten minutes as the Cents gave away a series of penalties as they tried to organise themselves. Gradually settling down, the St Albans team began playing some good open rugby when Toby Sweeney scored their first try, followed closely after by a Josh Lawrence try. Josh's brother, Jake Lawrence converted both tries. Bedford did not lie down though and scored an unconverted try out wide on the touch line, making the score 16 to 12 in their favour after 20 minutes. The Cents had three young players in their squad who had made the step up from their under 18 team, James Deeks, Fin Tetlow and Joe Picariello, and it was James Deeks that scored the next try as he powered past two defenders to score. Lawrence again converted, making in 18 - 16 to the Cents. With five minutes left on the clock until half time, Luke Ogbourn solidified the St Albans lead, doing what he does best, powering over the line to score with two defenders unable to stop him. Half time St Albans were in the lead 22 to 16. It is often said that most team games are "a game of two halves", and this was definitely the case here. Whatever coach Sam Wingad said to his squad at half time, it certainly worked as they ran in a further seven tries in the second half. First Josh Lawrence scored his second try directly under the posts followed by a try from Martin Day who's angled run also touched down under the Tigers posts. Cents were in the lead 32 to 16. Cents next try came from the defensive stalwart Adam Jasinski... who, linked up with a Martin Day run, caught the ball out wide and scored in the far corner. Bedford pulled a converted try back , but the next St Albans try was the try of the match. Jake Lawrence took the ball from a short pass from Toby Sweeney, on the half way line, in front of the grandstand and kicked it forwards, being chased by several Tigers players. He collected it, kicked it forwards again, rounded the Bedford full back, picked up the ball and raced to the line to score. Luke Ogbourn scored his second try when once again, his powerful running got him over the line to score a converted try. In the last fifteen minutes there was a fight back from Bedford, who ran in two converted trys, one of them being converted, but with the score at 46 to 32, St Albans once again played some free flowing rugby, passing the ball from player to player and it was no surprise when 18 year old ex junior Fin Tetlow side stepped his way under the posts to score. The last try came from Cents Toby Sweeney, breaking the tackles of three defenders and scoring his second try right under the posts. Shortly after, the referee blew his whistle as the final score stood at a 58 point to 32 victory to St Albans. After the game came the presentation of the cup and medals. The referees award to 'player of the match' went to Cents Martin Day. Cents coach Sam Wingad said " Wow, what a game that was, played with so much fire and enthusiasm in this heat and on so hard a pitch. There is so much I want to say. We had a game plan and squad rotational order and it all came together, the Tigers, who are a very good team just couldn't keep up with us today. We have some great players in our team, some stand out in almost every game, but others are the heart of the team, the lads who support and play their hearts out every week, there is no team without these kind of players, they are St Albans Centurions. I also want to mention our 'young guns', we had Fin Tetlow, James Deeks and Joe Picariello playing for us today, who are all products of our under 18 set up, coached by Gary Tetlow, along with Oakley Rennie-Sivell and Max Robson-Smith who were unavailable. These are all good young players who came up to the first team and haven't taken a backward step. I'd like to thank the people who run the East Rugby League and the people who, behind the scenes help keep St Albans Centurions going strong. We can have a bit of a rest now and, after the summer holidays, the Centurions committee will start to discuss what will be happening next season. Bedford Tigers 24 -v- 50 St Albans Centurions
What a difference two weeks can make in the world of rugby league. A fortnight ago, St Albans Centurions managed a win against second placed Bedford Tigers by two points, in a very close 18 - 16 victory, but on Saturday, at the return game, it was a very different story. Playing on a 3G pitch at Bedford Athletic Rugby Club, both teams needed the win, Bedford to remain in contention with the Cents and St Albans to remain league leaders. In an unbelievable start to the game, the Tigers kicked off to the Cents and the ball was returned by Will Fairhead, who had another great game for the club. He was tackled and the ball went out to Charlie Richards, who was making his debut for the Cents senior side in his step up from the Cents Under 18's. Richards attacked the Tigers defensive line with a stuttering side stepping run, and after covering 40 yards, touched down under the posts. One minute gone and with Harry Mac kicking the conversion, Cents were in the lead 6 - 0. At the re start, the ball went back to St Albans, through the hands of Keiron O'Shea and Joe Shaw, passed to forward Martin Day who powered over the try line to score again for the Cents. Mac again converted. After three minutes, with Bedford not touching the ball, St Albans were in the lead 12 -0. However, things were about to change as the Bedford team settled in and scored two converted try's in reply. With the game settling down to some big hits and tight defence, young Charlie Richards got the ball out wide on the wing and once again set off speed, this time side stepping three defenders and scoring behind the sticks. Mac again converted and St Albans were back in the lead again. With ten minutes left in the half, and Cents having to defend their line, St Albans Adam Jasinski flew out from defence, intercepted the ball and ran 80 yards downfield to score. Mac converted to give the Cents a 12 - 24 lead. Tom Webb was almost the next Cent to score, after a fifty yard run, and breaking three tackles he crossed the line and was about to score when the ball was punched from his grasp as he was putting it down. In the last couple of minutes before the half time whistle, Will Fairhead took the ball 20 yards out, burst through two tackles, side stepped the fullback and scored St Albans fifth try of the first half. Thirty points to 12 at half time for the Cents. The second half did not start well for the visitors as Bedford threw everything they had at them, and came away with two converted tries in ten minutes. However, the Centurions were not rattled, and it took Rob Campbell to settle them down when he wrong footed the Tigers defence and crossed between the sticks to score. James Ryan converted. The high speed and St Albans ferocious tackles began to take its toll of the Bedford team, with three of their players being substituted and going off for treatment. St Albans very own wrecking ball, Josh Lawrence had been a rock in defence, and now he attacked, carrying a Tigers defender on his back over the try line to score. Unfortunately the conversion was missed. Luke Ogbourn was the next scorer for St Albans, getting the ball on his own 40 yard line, he broke the Tigers defence and it was a straight 'race and chase' down field, Ogbourn out paced his four chasers to score an unconverted try. With five minutes left, it was left to Centurions mercurial full back Kieran O'Shea to score their last try. Joining in the attack, O'Shea managed to send three defenders the wrong was as he side stepped under the posts to score. James Ryan kicked the conversion, making it a resounding 50 points to 24 win. Head coach Sam Wingad said "Two weeks ago I was happy with a two point win over the Tigers, so I'm ecstatic with a 26 point victory. We also had a couple of our under 18's making the step up today and I was very pleased with their attitude and commitment. The team just gelled, everyone playing for each other. We have experienced players and players in only their first or second season, and they play so well together. They are a great bunch of lads and we are doing very well in the league, I am one happy coach after that game." Cents 18 - 16 Bedford
St Albans Centurions came away with a win in one of their closest and toughest games of the East Rugby League season so far. The Centurions claimed an 18-16 victory over Bedford Tigers at their Toulmin Drive home in a match that was always going to be a battle, the visitors listing five players in their squad who usually play for their senior team in the higher Southern Conference League. The game started with good running and moves from both sides, with some mighty tackles thrown in for good measure. But it was Cents who broke the deadlock, Jake Lawrence scoring a try out wide in the 10th minute. The conversion and the same was true 15 minutes later after St Albans had scored a second try, a great move ending up going to Josh Lawrence via a short pass and he crashed through the Tigers defensive wall. But that prompted a fight back and in the last few minutes of the half, three tries were scored. Two of them went to Ryan Litchfield with the third to Saints, although both of Bedford's were converted to leave the score tied at 12-12. The second half was just as intense, both teams had periods camped in their own half as the opposition tried to break through. Both held out though and any frustrations or technical infringements were quickly stamped out by the official. Bedford got the first score of the half though, Rhys George getting through, but crucially, this was their only score not to be converted. With 15 minutes to go, St Albans threw everything at the Tigers and it was outstanding play by Cents forward Martin Day, who not only drove the ball in on the first set of six, but was there at the third tackle to crash through four Bedford players and score. With the score at 16-16, Gareth Waters stepped up to convert and give the home side the win. Cents coach Sam Wingad said: "That was a game you would expect from the teams in first and second place in the league. "No quarter was asked for or given and there were some great attacking moves and magnificent defence. "I can't pick any one player out as being better than any other. They were all outstanding." Vipers 10 - 38 Cents
St Albans Centurions picked up a fine early season win as they put Anglian Vipers to the sword. The 38-10 success saw the Toulmin Drive-based rugby league club out score their opponents by seven tries to two with the addition of new players making a real difference. One of the older hands led the try-scoring charts through, Josh Lawrence getting two while there was one each for Jake Lawrence, Callum Porter, Will Fairhead, Martin Day and Adam Jasinski. Head coach Sam Wingad said: " I am extremely proud of how the boys performed and the season is shaping up to be a successful one. "We had two players stepping up from the youth in Max Robson-Smith and Oakley Renne-Sivell and they showed the successful player pathway we have at Centurions." North Herts 26 - 40 Cents
St Albans Centurions' superb start to the East Rugby League season continued with another victory. The 40-26 success at North Herts Knights was their third so far this year, following a cup success and one in the league, with this result taking them top of the standings. With the mercury peaking over 25 degrees, the game was played in four 20 minute segments to allow players to take on water. Cents continued their policy of playing some of their juniors with Max Robson-Smith, Oakley Rennie-Sivell and Joe Picariello all involved. And it was the latter who got St Albans off to the perfect start at Hitchin with two tries, one of which was converted for a 10-0 lead inside 10 minutes. The first water break came and went but when the teams returned for the second quarter it was the Knights who bagged six points. That was quickly answered a few minutes later by Robson-Smith's 50m sprint over the line to score and Josh Lawrence went over from slightly closer, taking three opposition players with him. There was still time for one more Knights try but Cents turned round 20-10 to the good. The Hitchin side did narrow the gap in the third quarter with two tries wither side of Robson-Smith's second but after determined defence from the Cents, Martin Day and Tom Spratt notably to the fore, Lawrence grabbed his second to make it 32-20 going into the final 20 minutes. Both teams pulled out all the stops for the fourth quarter, with Cents wingers Kieran O'Shea and Jake Lawrence both coming within inches of scoring. But although North Herts scored once more, Callum Porter jinked in for a try for St Albans before Max Robson-Smith's hat-trick sealed the win. Player-coach Porter said: "We seem to be on a roll now. I am really happy with the performance and the three boys from our juniors have fitted in seamlessly. "Unfortunately we have the next two weekends off with next week our rostered week off while the week after is the Rugby League Challenge Cup when all amateur rugby league is paused." St Albans go to Brentwood Eels in the East Cup semi-finals on June 4 while their over-35 masters team are next in action at their Toulmin Drive home, taking on a combined Solent Spitfires and Medway Dragons squad in a 2.30pm kick-off. |