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Dan Laventure's lucky break secured a bonus-point win for Rosslyn Park as they saw off Plymouth Albion at the Rock. The visitors kept the pressure on Kieran Power’s side with three tries across the game in the pouring rain. But a second red card for the Albion No.8 paved the way for Park to score three second-half tries, accompanying Greg Lound’s 13 points.


Lineout win

The first 10 minutes saw both sides trying to battle the conditions, the rain taking its toll on open play. But Park edged to a lead a minute later after being awarded a penalty, which Lound slotted on the right.

The visitors went down to 14 men 10 minutes later after John Kelly made a late tackle on Park’s No.10. And Park’s top-scorer immediately capitalised from the following penalty, scoring down the middle from the 22-metre line.

Albion were made to suffer immediately from the restart, Joe Munro finishing in the corner after quick hands from Ben Howard, Henry Robinson and Dan Laventure. The visitors got on the board with five minutes to half time, Sam Morley taking his own penalty. But Lound responded by securing a penalty hat-trick with two minutes to the break.

Albion regained momentum in the second-half, though, and were rewarded on 55 minutes as Alex Ducker ran clear on the left from breakdown play. Ben Gulliver’s side face an uphill battle again on the hour as Kelly received his second yellow card of the game, leading to a red.
And Park responded four minutes later, Dave Lewis sneaking under two tackles for his first score in red and white.

Albion did not lie down, though, as Javiah Pohe broke through the defence for their third try of the game with 10 minutes to go. It would prove to be the visitor’s last piece of luck, though, as Henry Robinson went over four minutes later.

Lound spotted the run of Howard on the opposite wing, catching and feeding to the Park full-back with ease. And the bonus point came on 78 minutes, Robinson’s kick being chased down successfully by Laventure after Morley’s error.


Joe Munroe scores for Park

Park are back on the road next week with a trip to Volac Park, where Cambridge put a halt to their losing run. The Blood and Sands, who had not tasted success since beating Stortford in mid-September, cruised to a 34-7 win against Canterbury. But Kieran Power’s side can take encouragement from their last trip to Cambridgeshire, a 17-8 win.

Stats
Rosslyn Park
Tries: Munro 23, Lewis 64, Robinson 74, Laventure 78
Conversions: Lound 24, 65
Penalties: Lound 10, 21, 38
Sin Bins:
Team (15-9/1-8): Henry Robinson; Ben Howard, Henry Cheeseman, Joe Munro ©, Benji Marfo (Craig Holland 63); Greg Lound, Jack Gash (Dave Lewis 31; Gash 40; Lewis 59); Paul Doran-Jones (Lovell 79), Owen Hughes (Tom Vaughan-Edwards 56), Nick Lovell (Stewart Maguire 47); Sam Twomey, Gregor Gillanders; James Freeman (Jack Barnard 56), Arthur Ellis (Hughes 79), Dan Laventure

Attendance: 650
Referee: Joe James
HT: 13-3
Star Man: Ben Howard – Rosslyn Park

Warren Muggleton @WMuggleton

images: David E Whittam

October 14, 2019