2001

This year all the following reports were taken from local newspapers -

Rugby League: St Albans Centurions 32 North London Skolars 20
Eastern Counties Cup 1st Round 2nd Leg
THE Centurions played up the slope in the first half and the bad weather conditions did not help, with heavy rain blowing in their faces.  It was the Centurions who opened the scoring when captain Ken Edwards caught the Skolars defence asleep with a long pass out wide that allowed James Osborne to dive in at the corner.

The Skolars came straight back and some bad defensive mistakes by the Centurions allowed them to score under the post to give them a 6-4 lead after 11 minutes.  The bad weather started to make the ground very heavy and the players started to make a lot of basic errors and the game was very stop and start affair. But five minutes before half time the Centurions managed to put together some passes and winger James Osborne went over again in the corner after the Centurions caused an overlap.
Then from the kick off the Centurions returned the ball back into the Skolars half and right on half-time John Longdon dived over near the post and Steve Toon converted and the Centurions went in 14-6 at half time.
In the second half the Centurions were playing down the slope and from the kick off the Skolars knocked the ball forward and from the scrum loose forward Graham Lumley broke the Skolars defence and sent winger James Osborne in for his hattrick of tries.  But Centurions were caught on the break and some missed tackles allowed the Skolars to score near the post and this was converted to bring the score to 18-12 for Centurions. The heavy conditions were starting to tire both sides and mistakes made it very hard for both sides to produce any kind of rugby.
Then with just 15 minutes to play the mistakes started to produce points. First it was John Longdon to score near the post, which was converted by Steve Toon to give the Centurions a ten point lead.
Then the Centurions were caught asleep and some poor defensive work by them allowed the Skolars to pull back four points with a try in the corner.  The Skolars gave away two penalities in front of the posts and the Centurions decided to take the kicks instead of trying to run the ball. This made the score 26-16 to the Centurions.
The try of the game came from James Osborne who picked the ball up on his own 22 metre line and raced the length of the field to score out wide to give him his fourth try of the game; on his way to the line he broke six tackles.
Another penalty goal by Steve Toon gave the Centurions a 32-16 lead with just five minutes left to play. This put the Centurions just 2 points behind with the overall score being 58-56 to the Skolars.
But on the stroke of full-time, the Skolars made sure of going through to the next round with a try in the corner.
So the Centurions now must look forward to May 5 when they start their Summer Rugby League Conference campaign with an away match at South Norfolk Saints.

 

Rugby: Centurions seek League recruits
THE CENTURIONS, St Albans Rugby League Club, is looking to recruit players for the forthcoming summer season.
The club, formed in 1996, has already achieved considerable success but is looking for new blood to take it to the highest possible level.
Runner up in Division Two of the London League for 1997/8 and winner of the London League Bowl Cup, the team went on to finish league runners up and play-off semi-finalists in the next year. The past two years have seen a slight dip in form, with them just missing out on the play-offs by finishing third.
The Centurions reserve grade team is the current holder of the London League Challenge Cup.
The club also fields teams in a number of age groups and is looking for players of all ages and abilities, from under 13s to its Open Age side.
Anyone interested is invited to an open evening on Wednesday, at the Old Verulamium Rugby Club at Cotlandswick. For more information, call Gary Tetlow on 01727 840530, or email him at orsta.centurions@ntlworld.com.

Sunday start for tournament
WITH the start of the Summer Rugby League Conference just around the corner, Sunday sees St Albans' Centurions host the inaugural London 9's Rugby League tournament at St Albans RU club.
Open to London League, as well as Summer Conference reserve teams, clubs taking part include Luton Vipers, London Skolars and Centurions' own under 18 side.
Anybody interested in taking up rugby league can now attend training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Old V's Rugby Club.  For more information, telephone Gary Tetlow on 01727 840530.
Meanwhile, Centurions are looking to the future, as they attempt to introduce rugby league to St Albans' youngsters this summer through a series of special events.  Centurions have joined forces with a host of other clubs from Hemel Hempstead, Bedford and north London to set up regular summer fixtures for under 13 and under 15 teams.
Three rugby league festivals are planned and a special Rugby Skills School at Cotlandswick for 12 to 15 year olds has also been arranged.

Centurions pay price for early season mistakes
South Norfolk Saints 32, St Albans Centurions 1
Totalrl.com conference
THE Centurions started their Totalrl.com Rugby League Conference season with an opening game at North Waltham against South Norfolk Saints.
The Centurions caught the Saints napping when their kick-off was allowed to bounce into touch.
From the resulting scrum, the Centurions attacked the Saints' line with some excellent running but the hosts' defence held firm until they were given offside but the visitors failed to capitalise when Mark Winch missed an easy penalty goal.
The Centurions regained possession from the restart and, after six minutes of pressure on the Saints' line, they opened the scoring when half-back Lee Parkin dropped a goal.
However, this lead was short-lived as, from the Saints' first attack, the Centurions were deemed offside and the hosts' penalty kick hit the upright before rebounding back kindly, allowing them to go over for the first try of the game.
With the referee sticking to the letter of every law, the game was never allowed to get into full flow while both sides were making basic errors in the handling department.
When the Centurions defence were penalised for stealing the ball in the tackle, after 30 minutes, the Saints took a quick tap penalty that left the visitors' defence in tatters and crashed over, with more than a little assistance from a badly-placed official.
This gave the Saints a healthy 12-1 half-time lead with the wind in their favour after the turnaround.
The Centurions' defence held firm until the last twenty minutes when South Norfolk scored a controversial try in the corner.
Parkin was sin-binned for backchatting to the referee and suddenly, the Centurions found themselves down to 12 players and 16-1 down.
The Saints took advantage of a tired visiting defence and extra player to run in a further three tries that completed a convincing win for the home side.
The Centurions are hoping to bounce back on Saturday when they welcome the Ipswich Rhinos to Cotlandswick, kick-off at 2.30pm.

Centurions no match for Rhinos in heat
St Albans Centurions 22, Ipswich Rhinos 30
THE CENTURIONS opened their home games against Ipswich Rhinos in temperatures over 70 degrees.
From the kick off, the Centurions pressured the Rhinos' line, and the Rhinos gave away a penalty for a high tackle. Instead of kicking for two points, John Longdon took a quick tap penalty, creating a hole in the defensive line for centre Ken Edwards to have an easy run in by the posts. Steve Callaghan kicked the goal.
However, it was quickly reversed, when the Centurions' defence was put under pressure, and they started to go high in the tackle, missing the advancing Rhinos' players.
Scrum half Paul Thurston, an ex St Albans player, danced over near the corner for a try. With 12 minutes played, the Centurions were 64 up.
Then both sides started making basic errors in the handling department, and the game did not flow.
On the half hour, the Centurions forced the Rhinos to make a mistake near their line, and from the scrum, loose forward Raoul Simons broke and, by quick play, John Longdon, unopposed, scored a try, with Steve Callaghan kicking the goal.
With three minutes of the first half left, the Rhinos ran in two quick tries. The first was scored by centre Pete Le Marquand, who intercepted a long pass out wide by Centurions stand off Lee Parkin, and ran 70 metres.
Then, from the kick off, Centurions kicked out on the full, and from the scrum, Paul Thurston put a high kick up and the Centurions players allowed the ball to bounce between them. This allowed Richard Pollard to score unopposed. So, the teams went in level at halftime, 12 all.
From the restart, the Centurions knocked on, and from the scrum, Paul Thurston broke blind to send fullback Matt Ryan in for a try after only two minutes of the second half. Again, from the kick off, Centurions kicked the ball out on the full, and the Rhinos capitalized on some poor tackling by the Centurions, with hooker Paul Roberts going over by the post to score a try. Luckily for the Centurions, the Rhinos did not have a goal kicker to convert their tries, so they only lead 2012.
The Centurions started to believe in themselves, and put together a good set of six drives. Instead of kicking on the last drive, Lee Parkin and Ken Edwards did a run around, which opened a hole in the Rhinos' defence, and centre Ken Edwards went over for his second try. Steve Callaghan kicked the goal to bring the Centurions within two points of the Rhinos.
Just as in the first half, the Rhinos came back with two quick tries in eight minutes. It was Thurston who got them rolling again, with a 40/20 kick which caught the Centurions defence asleep, and from the scrum some quick hands down the line sent Richard Pollard in for a try under the posts, which he converted.
The heat was starting to take its toll, and the Centurions were missing tackles, which allowed Richard Pollard to run through the Centurions' defence to score his third try.
This gave the Rhinos a 3018 lead, with ten minutes to play. Some quick substations by the Centurions put fresh legs on, which made the difference against a tired Rhinos defence, and winger Steve Callaghan raced over for an easy try after some good approach work by the Centurions.
However, this was not enough for victory. Centurions play Cardiff Demons at Cotlandswick on Saturday at 2.30pm, to look for their first win of the season.

Rugby League: Centurions crushed as Jets dominate
Rugby League Conference St Albans Centurions 4 Crawley Jets 66
ST ALBANS CENTURIONS entertained reigning champions Crawley Jets in their penultimate fixture of the season, and with a number of key players out through injury found themselves overwhelmed, eventually going down 66-4.
Jets opened the scoring after only 90 seconds when the Saints' defence allowed the ball to go over the dead ball line, and from the drop out Ed Dowling went over with ease and Alex Meredith converted.
The early breakthrough seemed to deflate the St Albans players and the champions ran riot to score a further six tries before the half time break.
However, despite some excellent strong running from Jets, Saints contributed to their own downfall by missing 37 tackles as centre Kelvin Cartwright (3) Dave Watton, Richard Billings and Dowling claimed the scores to put the match well out of St Albans' reach.
Meredith was also proving deadly with the boot, rattling in a further five goals to give Jets a 40-point half time lead.
The second half started as the first had ended. As soon as the Centurions kicked off the Jets running machine went into action.
On the sixth tackle a grubber kick for the post was watched by the Centurions defence, allowing full back Riaan Kruger to follow up and score, with Meredith converting.
The Centurions started to get their game plan together and managed to hold Jets out for 20 minutes, but Crawley finally broke the Centurions' defence when, from the scrum, they went down the blindside, and from the play prop Dowling went over.
Further tries by Paul Mysak, Kruger and Neil Winroe and two goals by Meredith in 12 minutes put the Jets 66-0 in front with five minutes left.
Then from the kick off the Centurions regained the ball and a tired Jets defence fell off tackles, and centre Neil McMullen forced himself over for a consolation try.