1st Team Fixtures, Results, Match Reports & League Tables
TRAINING - Every Wednesday, 7pm start, at our ground at Toulmin Drive. All senior players train together. New players always welcome. (Please note, as from 6th July, training will now be on Wednesday.)
If you want to know more about playing for or even just training with the Cents , then please get in touch with our head coach, [email protected] or just turn up.
The 2016 fixtures are shown below. Please go to the Archive section to see the results/fixtures/match reports from the 2015 season.
FIXTURES 2016
Pre Season
10th April - East Rhinos Xlll -v- St Albans Centurions Xlll (Sunday)
30th April - East RL 9's Tournament - Brentwood Eels
Season Start
07th May - St Ives Roosters 42 -v- 40 St Albans Centurions
Brentwood Eels 46 -v- 20 North Herts Cru.
14th May - St Albans Centurions 46 -v- 42 Hemel Stags 'A'.
North Herts Crusaders 38 -v- 43 Bedford Tigers
Brentwood Eels -v- St Ives Roosters (Abandoned due to injury)
21st May - St Albans Centurions 44 -v- 24 Brentwood Eels
Hemel Stags 40 -v- 4 Nth Herts Cru.
Bedford Tigers 58 -v- 28 St Ives Roosters
28th May - East Cup Quarter Finals
04th Jun - Bedford Tigers 72 -v- 10 St Albans Centurions
Brentwood Eels 24 -v- 58 Hemel Stags
11th Jun - St Albans Centurions 46-v-30 North Herts Cru
Hemel Stags 56-v-20 St Ives Roosters
Brentwood Eels 10-v-62 Bedford Tigers
18th Jun - East Shield Semi Finals - North Herts Cru -v- St Albans Centurions
25th Jun - Break Weekend
02nd Jul - St Albans Centurions 54-v-16 St Ives Roosters
Bedford Tigers 26-v-24 Hemel Stags
North Herts Cru. 80-v-10 Brentwood Eels
09th Jul - East Cup, Shield & Vase Finals
16th Jul - Hemel Stags 'A' 16 -v- 28 St Albans Centurions
Bedford Tigers 24 -v- 0 Nth Herts Cru
Brentwood Eels 24 -v- 0 St Ives Roosters
23rd Jul - Brentwood Eels 32-v-12 St Albans Centurions
North Herts Cru 0 -v- 24 Hemel Stags `A`
St Ives Roosters 30 -v- 44 Bedford Tigers
30th Jul - St Albans Centurions 32 -v-20 Bedford Tigers
North Herts Cru 24 -v- 0 St Ives Roosters
Hemel Stags 'A' 44 -v- 28 Brentwood Eels
06th Aug - North Herts Cru 28 -v- 38 St Albans Centurions
St Ives Roosters 24 -v- 0 Hemel Stags 'A'
Bedford Tigers 50 -v- 30 Brentwood Eels
13th Aug - Top Four Play Off Semi Finals
Bedford (1) 68 -v- 22 (4) Brentwood Eels
St Albans Centurions (2) 14 -v- 60 (3) Hemel Stags
20th Aug - East Grand Final
29th Aug - East RL State Of Origin Game (TBA)
Cents Bow Out In Play Off Semi Final
St Albans Centurions 14 -v- 60 Hemel Stags 'A'
This report is taken from the Herts Advertiser, written by their sports reporter Neil Metcalfe who was at the game:-
Cents had finished the regular season in second place, earning them a home tie at their Toulmin Drive ground.
And they went into the match full of confidence against a Stags side they had beaten twice already this year. But this was a completely different affair and despite two tries from Sam Allen and one from Roy Dube, they were unable to cope with the Stags’ power.
Allen’s scores had kept Centurions in touch of their visitors but two tries in the closing minutes of the first half, followed by an injury to the Aussie shortly after the break, put pay to any hopes they had.
Coach Andy Lake said: “Although we were under the cosh and took a lot of pressure for the first 35 minutes, we were still very much in it. The loss of senior guys in key positions cost us. We picked up a load of injuries today and the injury to one our star half-back Sam Allen cost us as we lost his rugby brain. Injuries have been brutal this year. We’ve only had 40 guys this year compared to other teams who have had 80 or 90. We lost Jake McLoughlin last week to a broken ankle, another one of our half-backs, a Kiwi who has played Rugby League all his life. And as I said you can’t replace that Rugby League brain.”
Hemel had started so brightly, and with Cents giving away penalties in the early going, it was only a matter of time before they took the lead. The surprise was it took until the 12th minute to arrive. But slowly and surely St Albans came back into it and after Nick Woolley had made a brilliant last-ditch tackle, they got their first try of the day when Allen scorched through the Stags defence like a knife through butter. Stags stretched their lead again but Allen again put the hosts within two points with an outrageous dummy and step. But two tries in first half stoppage time gave Hemel a 24-10 lead and when Allen limped off with a twisted ankle four minutes in, followed by Ross Saunders, the writing was on the wall.
Stags would run in a further seven scores, converting five of them to give the score a one-sided look.
Dube’s score on the hour mark was of little consolation although it did come from a beautifully executed move, led by Woolley’s chip ahead and followed by swift hands.
Lake was left philosophical at the end of the game, although he is confident St Albans can improve on a good year overall.
He said: “It’s been our 20th anniversary so it’s been a big season for the club and if we look back over the year it’s been pretty successful for us. We’ll take a well-earned rest and come back after Christmas.
“There’s potential that we’ll feature in next year’s Challenge Cup which starts in January or February along with Hemel Stags. We have been played in it before once or twice and never progressed past the first round but it’s nice to be part of it. It’s a big historical tournament for us. There’ll be plenty of recruitment as a bigger playing base is needed but we’ll come back stronger.”
St Albans Centurions 14 -v- 60 Hemel Stags 'A'
This report is taken from the Herts Advertiser, written by their sports reporter Neil Metcalfe who was at the game:-
Cents had finished the regular season in second place, earning them a home tie at their Toulmin Drive ground.
And they went into the match full of confidence against a Stags side they had beaten twice already this year. But this was a completely different affair and despite two tries from Sam Allen and one from Roy Dube, they were unable to cope with the Stags’ power.
Allen’s scores had kept Centurions in touch of their visitors but two tries in the closing minutes of the first half, followed by an injury to the Aussie shortly after the break, put pay to any hopes they had.
Coach Andy Lake said: “Although we were under the cosh and took a lot of pressure for the first 35 minutes, we were still very much in it. The loss of senior guys in key positions cost us. We picked up a load of injuries today and the injury to one our star half-back Sam Allen cost us as we lost his rugby brain. Injuries have been brutal this year. We’ve only had 40 guys this year compared to other teams who have had 80 or 90. We lost Jake McLoughlin last week to a broken ankle, another one of our half-backs, a Kiwi who has played Rugby League all his life. And as I said you can’t replace that Rugby League brain.”
Hemel had started so brightly, and with Cents giving away penalties in the early going, it was only a matter of time before they took the lead. The surprise was it took until the 12th minute to arrive. But slowly and surely St Albans came back into it and after Nick Woolley had made a brilliant last-ditch tackle, they got their first try of the day when Allen scorched through the Stags defence like a knife through butter. Stags stretched their lead again but Allen again put the hosts within two points with an outrageous dummy and step. But two tries in first half stoppage time gave Hemel a 24-10 lead and when Allen limped off with a twisted ankle four minutes in, followed by Ross Saunders, the writing was on the wall.
Stags would run in a further seven scores, converting five of them to give the score a one-sided look.
Dube’s score on the hour mark was of little consolation although it did come from a beautifully executed move, led by Woolley’s chip ahead and followed by swift hands.
Lake was left philosophical at the end of the game, although he is confident St Albans can improve on a good year overall.
He said: “It’s been our 20th anniversary so it’s been a big season for the club and if we look back over the year it’s been pretty successful for us. We’ll take a well-earned rest and come back after Christmas.
“There’s potential that we’ll feature in next year’s Challenge Cup which starts in January or February along with Hemel Stags. We have been played in it before once or twice and never progressed past the first round but it’s nice to be part of it. It’s a big historical tournament for us. There’ll be plenty of recruitment as a bigger playing base is needed but we’ll come back stronger.”
North Herts Crusaders 28 -v- 38 St Albans Centurions
St Albans Centurions finished the regular season as runners up in the East Rugby League after this workmanlike win at Letchworth. Comfortably leading by thirty points to ten at half time, the Cents rhythm was disrupted in the second half with an ankle injury to Jake McLoughlin, but they still ended with a victory by ten points. On a scorching August afternoon in Letchworth, St Albans Centurions beat North Herts Crusaders by 28 points to 38. For the Centurions, however, the victory meant ending their season in second place in the league and qualifying for a home tie in the semi-final play-off against local rivals Hemel Stags who finished in third place, four points below them.
Illness and injury again robbed the Cents of some key regular players but the match-day squad quickly put that to one side with two tries in the first 10 minutes from Joe Shaw and Ross Saunders. The Crusaders reacted in style with a fight back that gave them two converted tries of their own to edge into a slim lead. It took over 10 minutes of pummelling the Crusader’s defence by the Cents forwards line before Simba Mupamhanga’s quick-thinking allowed him to dive over for the visitors third try.
Then, with their tails up, the floodgates opened for the St Albans team as Jake McLoughlin, Joe Shaw and Sam Allen all crossed the line for converted try's to give the visitors an impressive thirty points to twelve half-time lead.
Shortly into the second half, tragedy struck the Centurions when stand out player Jake McLoughlin’s ankle was caught awkwardly in a crunching tackle and play was suspended until he could be carried from the field and taken to hospital. The impression that the Cents didn’t let this affect them by immediately scoring a seventh try, from the always-impressive Miles Costello, soon evaporated in the afternoon sun, as a re-vitalised Crusaders stormed back with three unanswered tries to bring the game within one converted try - six points - with just 3 minutes to go. A reckless forward pass from a Crusaders player, from the re-start, and a great interception, gave St Albans a superb field position to attack from, which Joe Shaw took full advantage of with his hat-trick try, to end a monumental game for the crowds favourite.
Manager Tony Bottomley said "Another Jekyll and Hyde performance across the two halves. Like so many times before this season, a great first half is let down by a so-so second half. We got away with it today but cannot afford to repeat it in the play-offs. ”
Next match: The East Rugby League Semi Final Play Off - St Albans Centurions v Hemel Stags at The Colosseum, Toulmin Drive, St Albans on Sat 13th August, 3pm kick off.
St Albans Centurions 32 -v- 20 Bedford Tigers
Prior to the game, Cents first team manager Tony Bottomley said "This is the strongest squad we have put out this season. I think we have a good chance of turning Bedford over." And that is what happened, as St Albans Centurions were victorious over the unbeaten league leaders, and current league champions Bedford Tigers. The game was only four minutes old when Alex Ricci took a pass twenty metres from the Bedford line and his speed made him unstoppable as he scored an unconverted try out wide on the wing. Five minutes later, Cents Kieran O'Shea made it eight points to St Albans as he scored in the same spot as Ricci, this time taking two defenders over the line with him. Again the conversion was missed. The Tigers showed why they are the champions, within minutes of the last Cents try, they used their large forwards to power down field and score their first try. Within minutes of the kick off, and on the back of two penalties against St Albans, Bedford scored a second, converted try against the Cents, taking the lead for the only time in the game. In the 23rd minute, Alex Ricci got his second try, this time on the opposite side of the pitch as he powered through three tacklers to score. He then converted his own try. On the thirtieth minute, Cents Sam Allen received a pass on the Tigers twenty metre line and jinked and side stepped his way through their defence to score under the posts. Ricci converted. In the last minute of the half, Bedford once again fought back with a further converted try. At half time, St Albans were in the lead by twenty points to sixteen.
There had been seven try's scored in the first half, but for the next thirty minutes of the second half, no try's were scored. Both sides attacked strongly, and both sides defended just as strongly. The tackling was fierce and there were several stoppages as players with injuries were attended to, but neither side took a backwards step. Several times Cents were camped in the Bedford twenty metre area, but could not get through the Tigers strong defensive line. Then, on the seventieth minute, Bedford drew level when they crossed the line for an unconverted try. With less than ten minutes to go, and the scores tied, it would take something special to score the next try, and something special it was. After a barnstorming run by Cents captain Mike Hollister, the ball went out to Tim Rangihuna, who scored a sublime try as he changed pace, and direction and sliced clean through a wrong footed Bedford defence to score beneath the posts. Ben Russell converted. The Cents had not finished though, as with two minutes left, Jake McLoughlin, who had been tormenting the visitors all game with his powerful running and tackling, made another powerful burst and got the ball out to Rangihuna again, who this time relied on speed and a straight run to score the games last try. Ben Russsell again converted. The game ended with a St Albans victory by 32 points to 20.
After the game, Cents team manager Bottomley said "Game of two halves. First half we had a completion rate of 86%, but in the second half, with both sides in a war of attrition, it fell to 50%. We must do better. This was the strongest squad we have had this season. I know I go on week after week about injuries and unavailability, but look what we can do when we have a strong squad, we turned the champions over and are the only team this season to beat them. We have had such mixed squads that we have only had two players play all nine league games, - Simba Mupamhanga and Jake McLoughlin - and only four players play in eight games. With those stats we have done well to finish in playoff contention. If we had stability, this season would be ours."
Cents consolidate their second place in the league with this win. Next week they travel to Hitchin to play the North Herts Crusaders, and a win there would mean home advantage in the end of season play offs.
Brentwood Eels 34 -v- 12 Cents
Whether it was sitting in a traffic jam on the M25 and just arriving in time to play the game, or playing in the 80+ degree heat, something made the Cents play a lacklustre game on Saturday as they visited the Brentwood Eels. After last weeks resounding victory over Hemel Stags, their travelling supporters were looking forwards to another victory that would consolidate their second place position in the East Rugby League. The game got off to a fine start when in the eleventh minute, forward Mike Hollister repeated his 'first try' scoring from last week as he took a Josh Lawrence pass and outpaced several defenders to score wide out on the wing. Unfortunately none of the St Albans tries were converted. It looked one way traffic when five minutes later Joe Baker smashed through the Eels defensive line to slip a pass out to Alex Curtis who raced through a tackle to score out wide. Leading eight nil on the twenty minute mark, the Cents were the authors of their own demise as they gave away the next two tries. Firstly, a wayward Cents pass was intercepted by an Eels player who ran from the halfway line to score beneath the post for a converted try, and on the next set of six, after the restart, a St Albans kick downfield bounced horribly, wrong footing the chasers and again a Brentford player caught in and ran in from his own half to score another converted try. Five minutes before half time the home team ran in their third converted try. At half time it was 18 points to 8 to the Eels.
Whilst the first half had been a fairly even game, with both teams performing well in the heat, the home team were the ones with their tails up in the second half and upped the games speed. They scored two tries before a Sam Norris charge got Nick Woolley close enough to crash through three defenders and score Cents last try of the game. In the last five minutes, the Eels scored one more converted try making them victors with a score of 34 points to twelve.
Tony Bottomley the St Albans first team manager said after the game "After last weeks great display against Hemel, there was just no sparkle this week. We just did not get it together for this game. In the second half we played flat, and the other team upped their game in the heat and we didn't. Perhaps it was having less than 30 minutes to warm up and get game ready due to the guys being held up on the M25, perhaps it was having to play a game with a different squad from last week, for the eighth game in a row this season. We need 2 more points from our last 2 games, at home to Bedford and away at North Herts, to make sure of a home game in the play offs. Brentwood travel to Hemel next week, so I hope they can do us a favour and beat them."
Brentwood Eels 34 -v- 12 Cents
Whether it was sitting in a traffic jam on the M25 and just arriving in time to play the game, or playing in the 80+ degree heat, something made the Cents play a lacklustre game on Saturday as they visited the Brentwood Eels. After last weeks resounding victory over Hemel Stags, their travelling supporters were looking forwards to another victory that would consolidate their second place position in the East Rugby League. The game got off to a fine start when in the eleventh minute, forward Mike Hollister repeated his 'first try' scoring from last week as he took a Josh Lawrence pass and outpaced several defenders to score wide out on the wing. Unfortunately none of the St Albans tries were converted. It looked one way traffic when five minutes later Joe Baker smashed through the Eels defensive line to slip a pass out to Alex Curtis who raced through a tackle to score out wide. Leading eight nil on the twenty minute mark, the Cents were the authors of their own demise as they gave away the next two tries. Firstly, a wayward Cents pass was intercepted by an Eels player who ran from the halfway line to score beneath the post for a converted try, and on the next set of six, after the restart, a St Albans kick downfield bounced horribly, wrong footing the chasers and again a Brentford player caught in and ran in from his own half to score another converted try. Five minutes before half time the home team ran in their third converted try. At half time it was 18 points to 8 to the Eels.
Whilst the first half had been a fairly even game, with both teams performing well in the heat, the home team were the ones with their tails up in the second half and upped the games speed. They scored two tries before a Sam Norris charge got Nick Woolley close enough to crash through three defenders and score Cents last try of the game. In the last five minutes, the Eels scored one more converted try making them victors with a score of 34 points to twelve.
Tony Bottomley the St Albans first team manager said after the game "After last weeks great display against Hemel, there was just no sparkle this week. We just did not get it together for this game. In the second half we played flat, and the other team upped their game in the heat and we didn't. Perhaps it was having less than 30 minutes to warm up and get game ready due to the guys being held up on the M25, perhaps it was having to play a game with a different squad from last week, for the eighth game in a row this season. We need 2 more points from our last 2 games, at home to Bedford and away at North Herts, to make sure of a home game in the play offs. Brentwood travel to Hemel next week, so I hope they can do us a favour and beat them."
Hemel Stags 16 -v- 28 St Albans Centurions
St Albans Centurions 'did the double' over their near neighbours when they travelled the ten miles from their ground to play Hemel Stags on Saturday. By now, the coach and manager should have gotten used to travelling with a different squad from their last game, as once again injuries and unavailability necessitated that the Cents play with a mixed bag of players. Sam Norris made his return after being injured in the first game of the season, and Sam Bucknall also returned after several weeks off with a leg injury, but this was offset by three players from their last game being unable to play due to injuries. The Cents had to play two players brand new to rugby league alongside their mix of regular first teamers and 'first seasoners'.
However, against the odds, the Centurions played an excellent game, with the old heads guiding the new squad members around the paddock. The first half was 'near perfect' according to team manager Tony Bottomley, with a plus 80% completion rate. Within four minutes of kick off, Sam Allen's chip through and chase caused confusion in the Stags defence and on the next play the ball, forward Mike Hollister took the ball fifteen metres out and crashed through the home teams defensive line to score an unconverted try. The Hemel side were unsettled and on the ten minute mark Alex Ricci used his speed and side step to jink through several defenders to score, then convert his own try. The next twenty minutes was free flowing rugby as both teams attacked and defended in all parts of the field. Ricci was involved in the next Cents score, as he drew three tacklers, but got out a pass to the ever reliable Joe Shaw who took two Stags players over the line with him to score out wide on the wing. In a frantic last five minutes of the half Hemel scored two converted try's, but luck was not with Cents returning forwards Sam Bucknall as he also crossed the Stags line twice, between their scores, only to have both tries ruled out by the referee. The half ended with the St Albans team leading the home team by twelve points to fourteen.
The second half continued at as great a speed as the first, within minutes Josh Lawrence crossed the line for Cents but had his try ruled out for 'crossing over'. Following this, Jake Mcloughlin just would not stay tackled as he broke through three tackles and scored from twenty metres out. Ricci converted. In the sixty third minute Hemel pulled a try back, but this was answered five minutes later with Sam Allen chasing down a Tim Rangihuna kick through as he beat a Stags defender to the ball and got his fingertips on it to score the last try of the game. Ricci again converted. When Cents were given a penalty in the seventy eighth minute, Ricci slotted the ball over the post to make the game safe for the Cents.
After the game, Cents team manager Tony Bottomley said "Well, what can you say about that. A team comprising of players of all different levels just clicked and produced a great display of rugby. With over an 80% completion rate in the first half, they put on a near perfect display. I'd like to mention Alex Curtis, a 17 year old playing his first ever game of rugby league for us, he was outstanding, making at least two tackles that probably stopped Hemel from scoring, and also Ross Saunders, again playing his first game for us and finishing as the top tackler. But praise must also go to the regular first teamers, they really stepped up to the mark today, they were awesome, and that's not a word I usually use. They played their hearts out and did not take a step backwards against a very good opposition."
St Albans Centurions 'did the double' over their near neighbours when they travelled the ten miles from their ground to play Hemel Stags on Saturday. By now, the coach and manager should have gotten used to travelling with a different squad from their last game, as once again injuries and unavailability necessitated that the Cents play with a mixed bag of players. Sam Norris made his return after being injured in the first game of the season, and Sam Bucknall also returned after several weeks off with a leg injury, but this was offset by three players from their last game being unable to play due to injuries. The Cents had to play two players brand new to rugby league alongside their mix of regular first teamers and 'first seasoners'.
However, against the odds, the Centurions played an excellent game, with the old heads guiding the new squad members around the paddock. The first half was 'near perfect' according to team manager Tony Bottomley, with a plus 80% completion rate. Within four minutes of kick off, Sam Allen's chip through and chase caused confusion in the Stags defence and on the next play the ball, forward Mike Hollister took the ball fifteen metres out and crashed through the home teams defensive line to score an unconverted try. The Hemel side were unsettled and on the ten minute mark Alex Ricci used his speed and side step to jink through several defenders to score, then convert his own try. The next twenty minutes was free flowing rugby as both teams attacked and defended in all parts of the field. Ricci was involved in the next Cents score, as he drew three tacklers, but got out a pass to the ever reliable Joe Shaw who took two Stags players over the line with him to score out wide on the wing. In a frantic last five minutes of the half Hemel scored two converted try's, but luck was not with Cents returning forwards Sam Bucknall as he also crossed the Stags line twice, between their scores, only to have both tries ruled out by the referee. The half ended with the St Albans team leading the home team by twelve points to fourteen.
The second half continued at as great a speed as the first, within minutes Josh Lawrence crossed the line for Cents but had his try ruled out for 'crossing over'. Following this, Jake Mcloughlin just would not stay tackled as he broke through three tackles and scored from twenty metres out. Ricci converted. In the sixty third minute Hemel pulled a try back, but this was answered five minutes later with Sam Allen chasing down a Tim Rangihuna kick through as he beat a Stags defender to the ball and got his fingertips on it to score the last try of the game. Ricci again converted. When Cents were given a penalty in the seventy eighth minute, Ricci slotted the ball over the post to make the game safe for the Cents.
After the game, Cents team manager Tony Bottomley said "Well, what can you say about that. A team comprising of players of all different levels just clicked and produced a great display of rugby. With over an 80% completion rate in the first half, they put on a near perfect display. I'd like to mention Alex Curtis, a 17 year old playing his first ever game of rugby league for us, he was outstanding, making at least two tackles that probably stopped Hemel from scoring, and also Ross Saunders, again playing his first game for us and finishing as the top tackler. But praise must also go to the regular first teamers, they really stepped up to the mark today, they were awesome, and that's not a word I usually use. They played their hearts out and did not take a step backwards against a very good opposition."
St Albans Centurions 54 -v- 16 St Ives Roosters
St Albans proved unstoppable on Saturday with a convincing win over St Ives. Pre game, the team manager Tony Bottomley and head coach Andy Lake were a little concerned, as with every game this season, due to injuries and unavailability, they had to start with a seventeen man squad that was a mixture of regular players and rookies. This week he had five players playing their first competitive game of rugby league. However, something clicked and the Cents put together some great free flowing rugby. The first ten minutes was played in a cloudburst and the rest of the game in bright sunshine. The game did not get off to a great start when in the second minute, Myles Costello whilst making his second tackle, slipped awkwardly on the soaking wet grass and had to leave the game with a suspected injury to his collar bone. Just as the cloudburst ended, the sun came out for St Albans as Sam Allen chased a Tim Rangihuna kick, caught it and crossed over to score the first try. On the twentieth minute, a Nick Woolley pass saw Jake McLoughlin sprint over to score Cents second try, which was converted by Woolley. Cents new boy Ben Russell was put on the field in the thirtieth minute as an impact player, and what an impact. The first time he touched the ball he raced over for a try from the half way line, and immediately after the restart he did the same again, running in a second try with his second touch of the ball. Woolley converted both tries. With two minutes left, the Roosters got a converted try back when one of their big forwards was unstoppable from 5 yards out. With one minute left until half time Joe Shaw made a crashing run down the wing and released a pass twenty yards out to winger Phil Shire who raced over the line to score the last points of the half. At half time the Cents were leading 26 points to 6.
The second half was just like the first, with the St Albans team dominating the game, and forwards Simba Mupamhanga, Roy Dube and Mike Hollister playing a big part in keeping the visitors penned up in their own third of the field for long periods of time. There was an extra loud cheer on the 45th minute as Cents old boy David Coyle, who now lives and works in Australia but signed on to play for his old team whilst he is back in St Albans on his holidays took the ball in from the halfway line and scored a great individual try. Five minutes later Jake McLaughlin and Joe Shaw teamed up to take the ball fifty yards downfield before slipping it out wide to Kieran O'Shea to run in another try. Ben Russell then got his hat trick of tries as he broke two tackles and scored. He then converted his own try. Within a minute of the kick off, new signing Cameron Craig took the ball sixty yards out and the used his speed to beat two tacklers and several chasers to score try number nine for the Cents. Russell converted. Sam Allen scored his second try of the game and on the seventieth minute, and Cents old boy Darren Westhead crossed the line to score Cents last try of the game. In the final eight minutes of the game the Roosters managed to get two consolation tries, but by then the game was lost.
After the game team manager Tony Bottomley said "We had a 64% completion rate in that game, which usually would not have resulted in such a large score difference, but it speaks volumes for the team that they did so well. We had several debutants in todays game, five of them playing their first competitive game of rugby league. Ben Russell did very well, it was almost three touches, three tries. I was pleased with the performance today, it was nice to see the regular players helping out the new ones. One thing we will be working on, today the opposition scored three times, each one came from penalties that we gave away, that needs to be sorted."
The Cents do not have a game next week as their ground will be the venue for the East Rugby League Cup, Shield and Plate Finals. Kick off is at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm and there will be a beer tent and a B-B-Q.
East RL Shield
North Herts Crusaders 38 -v- 16 St Albans Centurions
St Albans Centurions were knocked out of the East Rugby League Shield in the semi -final stage by a resurgent Crusaders team. There was no repeat of last weeks result when Cents beat the Letchworth team in the league at their Toulmin Drive ground. The Cents lost this game in the first quarter of the match when their disorganisation allowed the Crusaders to score four tries and three conversions from dropped balls and missed tackles, and be 22 -0 in the lead after 17 minutes. After that, as the Cents settled in, it became a good, evenly balanced, if somewhat hard tackling game. The highlights of the first half was when Josh Lawrence and Joe Shaw crossed the home teams try line only to be held up by the crusaders defenders. With five minutes left in the half. Cents Myles Costello crashed through two tackles to score an unconverted try out wide by the corner flag.
The second half began with the home team on the back foot, as the Centurions pressed home attack after attack, which culminated in Joe Shaw brushing off two defenders and scoring a great individual try. Nick Woolley converted. Unfortunately the Cents did themselves no favours when a long, looping pass was intercepted by the North Herts fullback who raced sixty yards to score under the posts. The St Albans team was next on the score sheet as Nick Woolley powered through the oppositions defensive line to score, and then kicked the conversion making the score 28 – 16 to the home side. The last 20 minutes of the game was hard rugby. The game had been played at a break neck speed and as the tired players went into tackle after tackle several players on both sides were injured. Three players from North Herts were taken off injured, and did not return to the game, and Cents workhorse Niall Braniff was taken off with a head injury and did not return. As the clock wore down, Cents Jake McLoughlin, Joe Shaw and Josh Lawrence again crossed their opponents try line but were all adjudged to have been held up. The St Albans team were getting desperate and throwing the ball around and taking chances to pull back the two tries that would draw them level, but by taking these chances, they let the Crusaders score two further tries in the last five minutes.
After the game, team manager Tony Bottomley stated “I have said this week in and week out this season, our biggest problem is having to play a different squad of players each week as injuries bite deep. I’ve never known anything like it. This week two first teamers returned from injury, but we have a further six first teamers missing, so we had to bring in four players new to the squad. It is so frustrating. We made almost two hundred tackles in this game, and a big well done goes out to Mike Hollister, Simba Muphamanga, Josh Lawrence, Jake McLoughlin and Joe Shaw who all made 20 plus tackles each.”
The players get a rest next weekend when there is a mid season break. The Cents next game is at home on Saturday 2nd July against St Ives Roosters. 3pm kick off. Pics from the game on our photo website.
North Herts Crusaders 38 -v- 16 St Albans Centurions
St Albans Centurions were knocked out of the East Rugby League Shield in the semi -final stage by a resurgent Crusaders team. There was no repeat of last weeks result when Cents beat the Letchworth team in the league at their Toulmin Drive ground. The Cents lost this game in the first quarter of the match when their disorganisation allowed the Crusaders to score four tries and three conversions from dropped balls and missed tackles, and be 22 -0 in the lead after 17 minutes. After that, as the Cents settled in, it became a good, evenly balanced, if somewhat hard tackling game. The highlights of the first half was when Josh Lawrence and Joe Shaw crossed the home teams try line only to be held up by the crusaders defenders. With five minutes left in the half. Cents Myles Costello crashed through two tackles to score an unconverted try out wide by the corner flag.
The second half began with the home team on the back foot, as the Centurions pressed home attack after attack, which culminated in Joe Shaw brushing off two defenders and scoring a great individual try. Nick Woolley converted. Unfortunately the Cents did themselves no favours when a long, looping pass was intercepted by the North Herts fullback who raced sixty yards to score under the posts. The St Albans team was next on the score sheet as Nick Woolley powered through the oppositions defensive line to score, and then kicked the conversion making the score 28 – 16 to the home side. The last 20 minutes of the game was hard rugby. The game had been played at a break neck speed and as the tired players went into tackle after tackle several players on both sides were injured. Three players from North Herts were taken off injured, and did not return to the game, and Cents workhorse Niall Braniff was taken off with a head injury and did not return. As the clock wore down, Cents Jake McLoughlin, Joe Shaw and Josh Lawrence again crossed their opponents try line but were all adjudged to have been held up. The St Albans team were getting desperate and throwing the ball around and taking chances to pull back the two tries that would draw them level, but by taking these chances, they let the Crusaders score two further tries in the last five minutes.
After the game, team manager Tony Bottomley stated “I have said this week in and week out this season, our biggest problem is having to play a different squad of players each week as injuries bite deep. I’ve never known anything like it. This week two first teamers returned from injury, but we have a further six first teamers missing, so we had to bring in four players new to the squad. It is so frustrating. We made almost two hundred tackles in this game, and a big well done goes out to Mike Hollister, Simba Muphamanga, Josh Lawrence, Jake McLoughlin and Joe Shaw who all made 20 plus tackles each.”
The players get a rest next weekend when there is a mid season break. The Cents next game is at home on Saturday 2nd July against St Ives Roosters. 3pm kick off. Pics from the game on our photo website.
St Albans Centurions 46 -v- 30 North Herts Crusaders
After last weeks defeat at Bedford, the Centurions bounced back with a comfortable win over Hitchin based North Herts Crusaders despite having six regular first teamers out of action with injuries and several players making their first team debut. Just as the referee blew his whistle for the start of the game, the heavens opened and the first half was played in continuous pouring rain. However, the rain did not dampen the Cents spirits, and in the first half they ran in six tries, five of them converted by stand off Nick Woolley. First on the score board was Cents Sam Bucknall, who although playing with a heavily strapped knee powered over two players for his touchdown. On the ten minute mark, Alex Ricci, in his first game for Cents this season ran is a great try from thirty metres out. Half way through the half, the visitors struck back with a converted try when one of their big forwards carried two Cents defenders over their line to score. In the next ten minutes the St Albans team scored three tries as they dominated the visitors. First was Sam Allen, playing only his second game for the Cents with a 40 metre sprint, then new boy Joe Baker dived through the defenders from a play the ball to score, followed by Alex Ricci with his second try, when his unstoppable speed carried him in from fifty yards out. With only a couple of minutes left in the half, Sam Bucknall scored his second try as he powered over the Crusaders defence from five yards out. The half ended with the score 34 points to six in the Cents favour, and as the rain started on the referees whistle, so it stopped when he blew for half time.
The Centurions continued the second half as they ended the first, pressuring the visitors for the first ten minutes and Sam Allen scoring another long range try that was converted by Woolley. However in a five minute spell North Herts ran in two converted tries making the scoreline 40 points to 18. St Albans last converted try was also Sam Allen’s hat trick, when he ran the ball in from 30 yards out, beating several players as he did so. With the score 46 to 18 with ten minutes left the Centurions took off several ‘walking wounded’ players, but the Crusaders upped their game and ran in a further two tries. The game ended with a 46 to 30 victory for the Centurions.
After the game Centurions team manager Tony Bottomley said “Once again a game of two halves, and it will continue like this until we have a settled squad that is not being changed every week by injuries. This season it seems that as soon as we get a couple of players back from injury, we lose three more. This week we had six new players in the squad, and you can’t have a settled playing squad when that happens almost every week. However, the boys played very well today, in fact they had a better first half in the rain and wind, than in the sunshine of the second half. I can say well done to both the new players and the regular squad members, they did well today.”
These two teams will be playing each other again next Saturday when the Cents travel to Hitchin to play the Crusaders in the East Rugby League Shield semi final.
After last weeks defeat at Bedford, the Centurions bounced back with a comfortable win over Hitchin based North Herts Crusaders despite having six regular first teamers out of action with injuries and several players making their first team debut. Just as the referee blew his whistle for the start of the game, the heavens opened and the first half was played in continuous pouring rain. However, the rain did not dampen the Cents spirits, and in the first half they ran in six tries, five of them converted by stand off Nick Woolley. First on the score board was Cents Sam Bucknall, who although playing with a heavily strapped knee powered over two players for his touchdown. On the ten minute mark, Alex Ricci, in his first game for Cents this season ran is a great try from thirty metres out. Half way through the half, the visitors struck back with a converted try when one of their big forwards carried two Cents defenders over their line to score. In the next ten minutes the St Albans team scored three tries as they dominated the visitors. First was Sam Allen, playing only his second game for the Cents with a 40 metre sprint, then new boy Joe Baker dived through the defenders from a play the ball to score, followed by Alex Ricci with his second try, when his unstoppable speed carried him in from fifty yards out. With only a couple of minutes left in the half, Sam Bucknall scored his second try as he powered over the Crusaders defence from five yards out. The half ended with the score 34 points to six in the Cents favour, and as the rain started on the referees whistle, so it stopped when he blew for half time.
The Centurions continued the second half as they ended the first, pressuring the visitors for the first ten minutes and Sam Allen scoring another long range try that was converted by Woolley. However in a five minute spell North Herts ran in two converted tries making the scoreline 40 points to 18. St Albans last converted try was also Sam Allen’s hat trick, when he ran the ball in from 30 yards out, beating several players as he did so. With the score 46 to 18 with ten minutes left the Centurions took off several ‘walking wounded’ players, but the Crusaders upped their game and ran in a further two tries. The game ended with a 46 to 30 victory for the Centurions.
After the game Centurions team manager Tony Bottomley said “Once again a game of two halves, and it will continue like this until we have a settled squad that is not being changed every week by injuries. This season it seems that as soon as we get a couple of players back from injury, we lose three more. This week we had six new players in the squad, and you can’t have a settled playing squad when that happens almost every week. However, the boys played very well today, in fact they had a better first half in the rain and wind, than in the sunshine of the second half. I can say well done to both the new players and the regular squad members, they did well today.”
These two teams will be playing each other again next Saturday when the Cents travel to Hitchin to play the Crusaders in the East Rugby League Shield semi final.
Bedford Tigers 72 -v- 10 St Albans Centurions
Current league champions and cup winners Bedford Tigers handed St Albans Centurions a 72-10 hammering in the East Premier League at Putnoe Woods on Saturday, and so remain top of the table and the only undefeated side in the division. St Albans knew they were going to be up against it as they travelled up the A1 without seven first teamers, who were all out with injuries. Such was the Tigers dominance that they were three tries up in 15 minutes and the Centurions still had to complete their first full set of six tackles. St Albans were unable to kill the ball off in the tackle, as every single Tigers player that carried the ball forwards was backed up by one, two or three support players, and it seemed as if they unloaded in almost every other tackle. The Cents were not allowed to settle down under the constant pressure. The only highlights for the Cents in the first half was when Joe Shaw and then Kieran O’Shea were tackled only yards from the Tigers line, and then Sam Allen, playing not only his first game for the Cents and also his first game of rugby league scored for St Albans after a blistering burst of speed down the side lines. The first half ended 42 points to 4 to the Tigers.
The second half was just like the first, the only difference was that the Cents looked more composed and organised in defence, and they needed to be as the well drilled Bedford team just kept coming at them. Sam Allen was growing in confidence and put in several good attacking runs from his own half, one of which paid off in another, converted try for him. The home team ran in several more tries in the second half against a Cents team that had occurred several more injuries to players, and out of necessity were playing several players out of position. At the end of the game Bedford Tigers player/coach Rob Ashton said “ We're playing such multi-dimensional rugby at the moment and we're starting to learn what works and what doesn’t. I'm not saying our victory flattered us, we played well and deserved the win, but they're a good side; I think today we just found a way to unlock them. We lead 40-4 at half time, and we said at the break not to get too excited and start losing the ball, playing it when we had no need to. We had to make sure we played the second 40 as we'd played the first, and keep the same momentum going.”
Cents first team manager tony Bottomley said “ It was a very bad day at the office. You cannot come to play a class side like Bedford with players missing and players carrying injuries, but there are no excuses, you turn up and you play, and today we were soundly beaten by a very good side. We will be discussing this game in training this week and hopefully next week will have a few of our missing players back for our home game against North Herts.”
Current league champions and cup winners Bedford Tigers handed St Albans Centurions a 72-10 hammering in the East Premier League at Putnoe Woods on Saturday, and so remain top of the table and the only undefeated side in the division. St Albans knew they were going to be up against it as they travelled up the A1 without seven first teamers, who were all out with injuries. Such was the Tigers dominance that they were three tries up in 15 minutes and the Centurions still had to complete their first full set of six tackles. St Albans were unable to kill the ball off in the tackle, as every single Tigers player that carried the ball forwards was backed up by one, two or three support players, and it seemed as if they unloaded in almost every other tackle. The Cents were not allowed to settle down under the constant pressure. The only highlights for the Cents in the first half was when Joe Shaw and then Kieran O’Shea were tackled only yards from the Tigers line, and then Sam Allen, playing not only his first game for the Cents and also his first game of rugby league scored for St Albans after a blistering burst of speed down the side lines. The first half ended 42 points to 4 to the Tigers.
The second half was just like the first, the only difference was that the Cents looked more composed and organised in defence, and they needed to be as the well drilled Bedford team just kept coming at them. Sam Allen was growing in confidence and put in several good attacking runs from his own half, one of which paid off in another, converted try for him. The home team ran in several more tries in the second half against a Cents team that had occurred several more injuries to players, and out of necessity were playing several players out of position. At the end of the game Bedford Tigers player/coach Rob Ashton said “ We're playing such multi-dimensional rugby at the moment and we're starting to learn what works and what doesn’t. I'm not saying our victory flattered us, we played well and deserved the win, but they're a good side; I think today we just found a way to unlock them. We lead 40-4 at half time, and we said at the break not to get too excited and start losing the ball, playing it when we had no need to. We had to make sure we played the second 40 as we'd played the first, and keep the same momentum going.”
Cents first team manager tony Bottomley said “ It was a very bad day at the office. You cannot come to play a class side like Bedford with players missing and players carrying injuries, but there are no excuses, you turn up and you play, and today we were soundly beaten by a very good side. We will be discussing this game in training this week and hopefully next week will have a few of our missing players back for our home game against North Herts.”
St Albans Centurions 44 -v- 24 Brentwood Eels
“The first half was a shambles, the second half was very good.” That was how St Albans Centurions first team manager Tony Bottomley described Saturdays game when St Albans took on Brentwood Eels at Toulmin Drive in the East Rugby League. The Cents had to move a few players around, as full back Gavin Waters was injured from last weeks game, and several players were in positions they were not used to.
The game started off well when on the ten minute mark Jake McLoughlin, continuing to score in every game he has played in, ran in a try from fifteen metres out, which was converted by Nick Woolley. Five minutes later the Eels ran in a converted try in the corner from forty metres out. St Albans two prop forwards pulled off the Cents second try when Mike Hollister burst through the visitors defence and after a twenty metre dash, off loaded to Scott Clewlow who burst through two tackles to score an unconverted try. Once again, on the back of Cents giving away a series of penalties as the rain came down, the Brentwood team scored their second converted try. Joe Shaw gave the home team the lead when he took three players over the line to score the Cents third try of the half. Unfortunately the Cents could not hold onto the lead as another period of failing to keep control of the ball led to Brentwood scoring a converted try in the last minute of the half. The half time score was 18 – 14 to the Eels.
The second half was different. The Cents began to gel and put moves together that in the first half would not have worked, but in the second half they did. First, Brad Webber, filling in on the wing received the ball forty metres out, beat two tackles and out sprinted the chasers to score in the corner. The try was unconverted. Shortly afterwards, Jake McLoughlin scored his second try as Tim Rangihuna darted through the Eels line and slipped a pass out to him for. Unfortunately, shortly afterwards Mcloughlin was yellow carded for a tackling infringement. But being one man down for ten minutes didn’t stop St Albans. Josh Lawrence chased a chip kick from Nick Woolley and diving at full stretch managed to touch it down, which was then converted. With the score at 28 to 18, Cents Scott Clewlow touched down for his second try, as he beat three tacklers and scored beneath the posts. Woolley converted. Against the run of play, an Eels player broke the Cents line and ran in a long range try making the score 34 to 24. It was all St Albans as Sam Bucknall, Kieran O’Shea and Simba Muphamanga all came very close to scoring. In the last ten minutes, Myles Costello ran in two tries, the first from 30 metres out, followed a few minutes later by a great 50 metre run that left the Eels defence trailing in his wake. Woolley converted, ending the game with a 44 to 24 win to St Albans.
After the game, Centurions team manager Tony Bottomley said “The first half was a shambles, the second half was very good. In that first half we had a completion rate of 50%, and you cannot win games like that. However, in the second half we had a completion rate of 85%, and that is a match winning level. We also had the lowest number of missed tackles so far this season with 15. We made 201 tackles, but gave away 9 penalties – so that needs work. If we continue to play like we did in the second half, we will have a good season.”
Next Saturday the Cents are at home against the Milton Keynes Wolves in the quarter finals of the East Rugby League Cup, kick off 3pm.
“The first half was a shambles, the second half was very good.” That was how St Albans Centurions first team manager Tony Bottomley described Saturdays game when St Albans took on Brentwood Eels at Toulmin Drive in the East Rugby League. The Cents had to move a few players around, as full back Gavin Waters was injured from last weeks game, and several players were in positions they were not used to.
The game started off well when on the ten minute mark Jake McLoughlin, continuing to score in every game he has played in, ran in a try from fifteen metres out, which was converted by Nick Woolley. Five minutes later the Eels ran in a converted try in the corner from forty metres out. St Albans two prop forwards pulled off the Cents second try when Mike Hollister burst through the visitors defence and after a twenty metre dash, off loaded to Scott Clewlow who burst through two tackles to score an unconverted try. Once again, on the back of Cents giving away a series of penalties as the rain came down, the Brentwood team scored their second converted try. Joe Shaw gave the home team the lead when he took three players over the line to score the Cents third try of the half. Unfortunately the Cents could not hold onto the lead as another period of failing to keep control of the ball led to Brentwood scoring a converted try in the last minute of the half. The half time score was 18 – 14 to the Eels.
The second half was different. The Cents began to gel and put moves together that in the first half would not have worked, but in the second half they did. First, Brad Webber, filling in on the wing received the ball forty metres out, beat two tackles and out sprinted the chasers to score in the corner. The try was unconverted. Shortly afterwards, Jake McLoughlin scored his second try as Tim Rangihuna darted through the Eels line and slipped a pass out to him for. Unfortunately, shortly afterwards Mcloughlin was yellow carded for a tackling infringement. But being one man down for ten minutes didn’t stop St Albans. Josh Lawrence chased a chip kick from Nick Woolley and diving at full stretch managed to touch it down, which was then converted. With the score at 28 to 18, Cents Scott Clewlow touched down for his second try, as he beat three tacklers and scored beneath the posts. Woolley converted. Against the run of play, an Eels player broke the Cents line and ran in a long range try making the score 34 to 24. It was all St Albans as Sam Bucknall, Kieran O’Shea and Simba Muphamanga all came very close to scoring. In the last ten minutes, Myles Costello ran in two tries, the first from 30 metres out, followed a few minutes later by a great 50 metre run that left the Eels defence trailing in his wake. Woolley converted, ending the game with a 44 to 24 win to St Albans.
After the game, Centurions team manager Tony Bottomley said “The first half was a shambles, the second half was very good. In that first half we had a completion rate of 50%, and you cannot win games like that. However, in the second half we had a completion rate of 85%, and that is a match winning level. We also had the lowest number of missed tackles so far this season with 15. We made 201 tackles, but gave away 9 penalties – so that needs work. If we continue to play like we did in the second half, we will have a good season.”
Next Saturday the Cents are at home against the Milton Keynes Wolves in the quarter finals of the East Rugby League Cup, kick off 3pm.
St Albans Centurions 24 -v- 22 Hemel Stags
St Albans Centurions won the Hertfordshire bragging rights on Saturday with a two point victory over local rivals Hemel Stags, and whilst they led comfortably the most of the game, they almost gave it away in the last fifteen minutes. The Cents had lost their first game of the season by two points last week and then won this, their second game by the same margin.
The game started as it would continue, with hard tackling and free flowing rugby, as you would expect in a local derby, with neither side looking to take prisoners. In the fifteenth minute the Cents took the lead when their full back Gareth Waters broke the Stags defensive line and got a smooth pass out to Aussie second rower Jake McLaughlin who ran in for the first, unconverted, try of the game. Within five minutes Hemel struck back with their own try out wide that was also unconverted. Playing his first game of competitive rugby league, Cents new boy Adam Russell was next on the score sheet with a great run out wide that took two Hemel defenders over the line with him as he scored his first try for the club.. This time Waters kicked the conversion. The rest of the first half was all Centurions, as they attacked the Hemel line time after time, only to have Scott Clewlow, Josh Lawrence, Sam Bucknall and Kieran O’Shea all held up on or over the try line by a strong Stags defence. In the last few minutes of the half, against the run of play, the Stags marched down field and scored an unconverted try. At half time the score was 10 points to eight in favour of the home team.
The second half started very well for the Centurions, with Josh Lawrence, who was a thorn in the Hemel side all game, running in a forty metre try within a minute of the kick off. Waters kicked the conversion. Unfortunately, Waters had to leave the field with an injury, which meant coach Andy Lake had to rejig his line up, putting hooker Sam Wingard on the wing, and winger Kieran O’Shea to full back. Cents extended their lead when Nick Woolley scored a try, but, taking over Waters kicking duties, could not convert his own try. It was at this time, with Hemel falling behind, that a bit of ‘niggle’ began to creep into the Hemel game, with several players being spoken to by the referee and one receiving a period in the ‘sin bin’. Taking advantage of the Stags being a man down, the Centurions attacked again with Tim Rangihuna and Joe Shaw teaming up to put Sam Bucknall over the line to score the Cents fifth and last try. With ten minutes left and the Cents looking comfortable with a 24 to 8 lead, the game dynamic changed, with Hemel Stags doing all the attacking, and a tired looking Cents having to do most of the defending. In that ten minute period, the visitors ran in three tries, one converted, to come within two points of the Cents. Two incidents ended the game in the home teams favour. With five minutes to go, a Stags player was sin binned for swearing at the referee, reducing them to twelve men, and in the last Stags attack, with one minute left, Cents Myles Costello intercepted a wayward pass to sprint out of his own half and take the pressure off the St Albans defence. The game ended with victory for St Albans.
After the game the Cents first team manager, Tony Bottomley said “ The first twenty minutes we were dominant. I think Hemel were only in our half four or five times. In the second half we gave away two tries in a ten minute period and then three tries in the last fifteen. Up to the sixty minute mark we were the best team out there, then we tired and were punished. Overall it was a very good performance, an improvement on last week.”
St Albans Centurions won the Hertfordshire bragging rights on Saturday with a two point victory over local rivals Hemel Stags, and whilst they led comfortably the most of the game, they almost gave it away in the last fifteen minutes. The Cents had lost their first game of the season by two points last week and then won this, their second game by the same margin.
The game started as it would continue, with hard tackling and free flowing rugby, as you would expect in a local derby, with neither side looking to take prisoners. In the fifteenth minute the Cents took the lead when their full back Gareth Waters broke the Stags defensive line and got a smooth pass out to Aussie second rower Jake McLaughlin who ran in for the first, unconverted, try of the game. Within five minutes Hemel struck back with their own try out wide that was also unconverted. Playing his first game of competitive rugby league, Cents new boy Adam Russell was next on the score sheet with a great run out wide that took two Hemel defenders over the line with him as he scored his first try for the club.. This time Waters kicked the conversion. The rest of the first half was all Centurions, as they attacked the Hemel line time after time, only to have Scott Clewlow, Josh Lawrence, Sam Bucknall and Kieran O’Shea all held up on or over the try line by a strong Stags defence. In the last few minutes of the half, against the run of play, the Stags marched down field and scored an unconverted try. At half time the score was 10 points to eight in favour of the home team.
The second half started very well for the Centurions, with Josh Lawrence, who was a thorn in the Hemel side all game, running in a forty metre try within a minute of the kick off. Waters kicked the conversion. Unfortunately, Waters had to leave the field with an injury, which meant coach Andy Lake had to rejig his line up, putting hooker Sam Wingard on the wing, and winger Kieran O’Shea to full back. Cents extended their lead when Nick Woolley scored a try, but, taking over Waters kicking duties, could not convert his own try. It was at this time, with Hemel falling behind, that a bit of ‘niggle’ began to creep into the Hemel game, with several players being spoken to by the referee and one receiving a period in the ‘sin bin’. Taking advantage of the Stags being a man down, the Centurions attacked again with Tim Rangihuna and Joe Shaw teaming up to put Sam Bucknall over the line to score the Cents fifth and last try. With ten minutes left and the Cents looking comfortable with a 24 to 8 lead, the game dynamic changed, with Hemel Stags doing all the attacking, and a tired looking Cents having to do most of the defending. In that ten minute period, the visitors ran in three tries, one converted, to come within two points of the Cents. Two incidents ended the game in the home teams favour. With five minutes to go, a Stags player was sin binned for swearing at the referee, reducing them to twelve men, and in the last Stags attack, with one minute left, Cents Myles Costello intercepted a wayward pass to sprint out of his own half and take the pressure off the St Albans defence. The game ended with victory for St Albans.
After the game the Cents first team manager, Tony Bottomley said “ The first twenty minutes we were dominant. I think Hemel were only in our half four or five times. In the second half we gave away two tries in a ten minute period and then three tries in the last fifteen. Up to the sixty minute mark we were the best team out there, then we tired and were punished. Overall it was a very good performance, an improvement on last week.”
St Ives Roosters 42 –v- 40 St Albans Centurions
It was the battle of the Saints on Saturday when St Albans Centurions travelled to St Ives Roosters for the first round match in the East Rugby League season. The Cents came so close to pulling off an opening day upset against the Roosters, who were last season’s league runners up and Grand Finalists. The St Albans team also took this opportunity to play in their new ‘retro’ strip, based on the clubs first ever strip that they wore in 1996, to mark the 20th anniversary of the club. The names of all the players and club officials from 1996 to date are woven into the shirt material.
The game did not get off to a good start when a Cents player was penalised for having a foot in front of the ball as it was kicked off. The home team got possession of the ball and, winning a further penalty for holding down in the tackle, forced the ball up the pitch and scored a converted try. The Centurions fought back and on two occasions in the first 15 minutes crossed the Roosters try line only to have both tries disallowed by the referee. It was on the 21st minute that Cents forward Sam Bucknell scored the Cents first try of the new season when the big man took the ball from 20 yards out and couldn’t be caught as he crossed the line to score. Full back Gareth Waters kicked the conversion. The hot weather conditions did not stop the teams from throwing the ball around as the teams stormed around the field for almost of the rest of the game. It seems that the teams took it in turn to score. St Ives scored next, followed on the 34th minute by a Cents try when Joe Shaw took on three players on the wing and carried them over to score. Waters again converted. True to form, St Ives, using their big forwards, scored the next try. Almost on the half time whistle Joe Shaw again scored a try following a neat slipped pass from winger Kieran O’Shea. Unfortunately the angle was too narrow for Waters to kick the conversion and the teams went in at half time with Roosters having a narrow 18 points to 16 lead.
The second half started just as badly for the Cents as the first half did, when almost straight from the kick off St Ives scored a converted try, followed shortly afterwards by another after St Albans gave away several penalties. The St Ives team had a number of very large forwards, and these were rotated regularly by their coach so that time and again their large players were crashing down the middle of the pitch making the visitors work hard to drag them down. It was during one of these attacks that a home player dropped the ball, and Cents interchange Darren Westhead scooped up the ball and outpaced all the defenders over 50 yards to score under the posts. The try was converted. Within four minutes of the kick off the irrepressible Joe Shaw scored his hat trick of tries, taking three defenders over the line with him. After the conversion the score was 30 points to 28 to the home team. The Roosters were next on the score board when once again, silly penalties given by the Cents resulted in them gaining lots of yards before they scored. With thirteen minutes left and the score at 36 -28, Cents scrum half Tim Rangihuna took the ball on the half way line and jinked his way through the opposition to score under the posts for a converted try. It looked like the tide had changed, as Cents crossed the line again but, for the third time, no try was given by the referee. On the 74th minute, playing in his first Centurions game, Cents new boy Jake McLaughlin scored Cents next try as he side stepped through, and then outpaced the home defence to score under the black dot. With Gareth Waters conversion, the score was now 36 - 40 to the Centurions.
Unfortunately the constant tackling of the huge St Ives forwards had begun to take its toll on the Centurions, and when the Roosters made one last onslaught on the Cents defensive line, all the St Albans defenders could do was drive them out wide and see them score almost on the touchline. With the scores now at 40 points each, the crowd was very quiet as the home team kicker, who had not missed a kick all game, connected with the ball and kicked the conversion. With under two minutes left, it looked as though the game was over. However the Centurions received the ball from the kick off, and drove it 70 yards down field to within five yards of the Roosters try line. Cents and their travelling support thought they had won the game when winger Myles Costello crossed the line to score on the 79th minute, only to have their hopes dashed when the referee disallowed the try.
After the game Cents head coach Andy Lake said “When you concede 42 points in a game, you are not going to win – but we nearly did. St Ives relied on their huge forwards to crash over the try line from five or ten yards out, and stopping someone their size from doing that is a big ask. I am not disappointed, this is the boys first run out and on what I’ve seen today, we have the making of a great squad”. First team manager Tony Bottomley added “I must say I was impressed. When you look at the new squad members, they fitted in very well with the squad, and it was a first time player, Jake McLoughlin, that was our top tackler. There is scope for improvement, and I know the team will get better the more we play together. The second half was superb, you could see the players beginning to gel. The future looks rosy as we progress through the season.”
Next Saturday, the Cents are at home, when they take on Hemel Stags ‘A’ team in a repeat of their very first competitive league game that they played 20 years ago. Kick off is at 2.30pm at Toulmin Drive. As a prelude to the Cents game, at 12.30pm the Cents masters team (over 35’s) will be playing the LADS (London And Down South) masters team.
It was the battle of the Saints on Saturday when St Albans Centurions travelled to St Ives Roosters for the first round match in the East Rugby League season. The Cents came so close to pulling off an opening day upset against the Roosters, who were last season’s league runners up and Grand Finalists. The St Albans team also took this opportunity to play in their new ‘retro’ strip, based on the clubs first ever strip that they wore in 1996, to mark the 20th anniversary of the club. The names of all the players and club officials from 1996 to date are woven into the shirt material.
The game did not get off to a good start when a Cents player was penalised for having a foot in front of the ball as it was kicked off. The home team got possession of the ball and, winning a further penalty for holding down in the tackle, forced the ball up the pitch and scored a converted try. The Centurions fought back and on two occasions in the first 15 minutes crossed the Roosters try line only to have both tries disallowed by the referee. It was on the 21st minute that Cents forward Sam Bucknell scored the Cents first try of the new season when the big man took the ball from 20 yards out and couldn’t be caught as he crossed the line to score. Full back Gareth Waters kicked the conversion. The hot weather conditions did not stop the teams from throwing the ball around as the teams stormed around the field for almost of the rest of the game. It seems that the teams took it in turn to score. St Ives scored next, followed on the 34th minute by a Cents try when Joe Shaw took on three players on the wing and carried them over to score. Waters again converted. True to form, St Ives, using their big forwards, scored the next try. Almost on the half time whistle Joe Shaw again scored a try following a neat slipped pass from winger Kieran O’Shea. Unfortunately the angle was too narrow for Waters to kick the conversion and the teams went in at half time with Roosters having a narrow 18 points to 16 lead.
The second half started just as badly for the Cents as the first half did, when almost straight from the kick off St Ives scored a converted try, followed shortly afterwards by another after St Albans gave away several penalties. The St Ives team had a number of very large forwards, and these were rotated regularly by their coach so that time and again their large players were crashing down the middle of the pitch making the visitors work hard to drag them down. It was during one of these attacks that a home player dropped the ball, and Cents interchange Darren Westhead scooped up the ball and outpaced all the defenders over 50 yards to score under the posts. The try was converted. Within four minutes of the kick off the irrepressible Joe Shaw scored his hat trick of tries, taking three defenders over the line with him. After the conversion the score was 30 points to 28 to the home team. The Roosters were next on the score board when once again, silly penalties given by the Cents resulted in them gaining lots of yards before they scored. With thirteen minutes left and the score at 36 -28, Cents scrum half Tim Rangihuna took the ball on the half way line and jinked his way through the opposition to score under the posts for a converted try. It looked like the tide had changed, as Cents crossed the line again but, for the third time, no try was given by the referee. On the 74th minute, playing in his first Centurions game, Cents new boy Jake McLaughlin scored Cents next try as he side stepped through, and then outpaced the home defence to score under the black dot. With Gareth Waters conversion, the score was now 36 - 40 to the Centurions.
Unfortunately the constant tackling of the huge St Ives forwards had begun to take its toll on the Centurions, and when the Roosters made one last onslaught on the Cents defensive line, all the St Albans defenders could do was drive them out wide and see them score almost on the touchline. With the scores now at 40 points each, the crowd was very quiet as the home team kicker, who had not missed a kick all game, connected with the ball and kicked the conversion. With under two minutes left, it looked as though the game was over. However the Centurions received the ball from the kick off, and drove it 70 yards down field to within five yards of the Roosters try line. Cents and their travelling support thought they had won the game when winger Myles Costello crossed the line to score on the 79th minute, only to have their hopes dashed when the referee disallowed the try.
After the game Cents head coach Andy Lake said “When you concede 42 points in a game, you are not going to win – but we nearly did. St Ives relied on their huge forwards to crash over the try line from five or ten yards out, and stopping someone their size from doing that is a big ask. I am not disappointed, this is the boys first run out and on what I’ve seen today, we have the making of a great squad”. First team manager Tony Bottomley added “I must say I was impressed. When you look at the new squad members, they fitted in very well with the squad, and it was a first time player, Jake McLoughlin, that was our top tackler. There is scope for improvement, and I know the team will get better the more we play together. The second half was superb, you could see the players beginning to gel. The future looks rosy as we progress through the season.”
Next Saturday, the Cents are at home, when they take on Hemel Stags ‘A’ team in a repeat of their very first competitive league game that they played 20 years ago. Kick off is at 2.30pm at Toulmin Drive. As a prelude to the Cents game, at 12.30pm the Cents masters team (over 35’s) will be playing the LADS (London And Down South) masters team.