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St Albans Centurions made their full home debut at the Recreation Ground on Saturday when they came up against a strong West London Sharks outfit. Cents had been on the road in the opening 3 rounds of the RLC Premiership campaign notching up their first win at Ipswich Rhinos the previous week but they were looking to start life at their new home with another win.

The match marked the first showing of their sponsored kit by the Duke of Marlborough and Druid Pub chain director Alan Walters was on hand to seen this historic game. Coach Shane Rampling once again had to make enforced changes from the previous week with Nick Surtees, Andrew Millar and Ian Kirby replaced by Roy Dube, Jon Warner and Paul Maloney, giving the pack some much needed back up. West London visited the Recreation Ground with a won 2, lost 2 ratio but their line up was strengthened by former Cent Allan Tito, former Huddersfield NL3 destroyer Kane Tuirirnagi, star full back Tom Howden and former NRL player (and now assistant coach at Super League Hull KR) Mark Barnes.

It was always going to be a tough encounter and it started that way, with little subtlety to the opening exchanges, both packs going at each other with great ferocity. Ian Moulds and Dean Maloney worked hard in attack and defence, ably supported by their mates in the pack and despite putting a huge amount of pressure on the Sharks line they could not convert the pressure to points, but Cents were the first to register a try when on 17 mins. a devastating burst from Tom Pritchard took the ball to within 5 metres of the Sharks line and at the play the ball, Jack Cornthwaite found Kristian Warner who crossed and the Dan Chilcott conversion made the score 6-0. 5 mins later, Sharks knocked on on the half way line and from the resultant scrum the ball was moved to the blind side and speedster Oli Fountain cut through the defence to score and at 10-0 Cents looked well in control. It was at this point that the Cents intensity appeared to drop and they paid the price on 31 mins. when hooker Rob McLean took the ball from dummy half and scampered in under the post, the conversion by Dan Agland was successful and the score was 10-6. Cent then managed to contain a series of Sharks forays into their 20 metre zone but did not do themselves any favours by giving away needless penalties and right on the stoke of half time McLean was on hand to finish of a flowing attack in the corner to level the scores at 10 all.

It had been a frustrating first half for the Cents, one which they had controlled for long periods with little reward, but one which they had allowed to slip away from them as the half wore on. The Sharks had ended the half with all the momentum and this carried on in the second half, when within 1 minute, centre Agland latched onto a smart pass from stand out player Mark Barnes and raced in and the score stood at 14-10. Cents did not let this setback affect them and started to regain the initiative and their cause was helped 10 mins later when Sharks full back Howden was sin binned, a result of repeated Sharks interference at the play the ball area. Despite being a man down some slack Cents defence allowed Sharks lock Byrnes to cross and the Barnes conversion made the score 20-10 and the Sharks had registered 20 unanswered points and things looked bleak for Cents. The team continued to probe and run hard but just could not find any gaps in resolute and upbeat Sharks defence but their efforts were rewarded on 16 mins. when a great burst from Pritchard allowed him to draw the full back and feed Chilcott who raced in under the posts and then converted to bring the Cents back to 20-16. The comeback was added to 5 mins later when from a Dan Wortley bomb, Howden was well tackled in goal by centre Fountain, and from the resultant drop out, the centre was on had to round off a swift passing move and although the conversion was missed the score was 20 all and the game was in the balance.

Cents then had the momentum with them and pushed the Sharks line but mistakes thwarted scoring opportunities but on 25 mins. Sharks were guilty of infringing at the ruck and Cents opted to take the penalty kick which Chilcott duly converted to take the Cents back into the lead 22-20. The final 15mins of the game were truly dramatic as both sides spurned golden opportunities to score, both trying the innovative and the barnstorming to make the break but Cents hung on to take the spoils.

The game marked the end of the brief Cents careers of Chilcott and Moulds who return to Australia. Both boys have been very influential in the Cents effort in the early part of the season and will be missed.
Coach Rampling was satisfied with the performance saying, 'I am pleased to get the two points. It was tough game and as physical as I expected it to be. We knew the Sharks would be up for the battle and those early exchanges showed what the game meant to them. We stuck to our task for periods of the game, but there were periods when our ball security, and discipline let us down. We will need to work on this side of the game. That said it was great to get the win on our first game at the Recreation Ground and it was a fitting way for Chilla and Mouldsy to leave. Both guys have been excellent ambassadors for the club and dominant on the field. But this will give an opportunity to some of our younger guys. On paper the Kent game at the weekend should be our easiest yet but the Ravens notched up their first win of the weekend they will be a tough opponent at the weekend.'