Match Reports & Videos: 2023
Albany
RESULT North Shore 38–
Albany 36
October 14, 2023, 1:00pm @ Salem High School, 77 Willson St., Salem, MA
Referee's Official Match Report
No report on record.
Our Match Report
The Reds came off a well deserved bye to their first real test of the season bringing the Albany Knickerbockers to Salem in the middle of Spooky Season. With both North Shore and Albany going into this matchup undefeated, Albany being a game ahead at 4-0 and leading the league in points, everyone expected this to be a battle.
North Shore continued to show their readiness to compete, coming out hard and fast putting up the first score of the game but Albany was able to answer quickly. This back and forth continued throughout the whole match. The Red’s forward pack came out ready to play, with many balls being fed to their pods for crashes in the center of the field allowing the backs to play on the wing. A scrum steal from hooker Capt. Brian Estabrook gave the Reds possession back in the attacking end for a few phases leaving Ness open on the wing to run it in just like in practice. Timmy was able to convert this try making it 12-7 good guys.
Albany as one of the stronger opponents this season, the Reds had to do much more play in the defensive end. The boys kept their tackles low and didn't give up phase after phase keeping play going with minimal penalties. The usual strategy to kick to touch to avoid playing in our own end proved harder today as balls did not want to find the sideline, leading to a few broken plays allowing Albany to notch a few onto the board before half.
Justin was able to get into the tryzone today on heads up plays catching Albany on their back foot after the forwards tested them again and again forcing a penalty within the 5 meters. A returning kick to touch in the reds own 5 meter allowed Albanay to maul and get another on in making the score 25-21 with the reds now holding a narrow lead. Justin putting 2 more tries on the board giving him the hattrick on similar unassisted plays with his quick thinking and Timmy making 2 kicks for points put the Reds ahead 38-26 with 10 minutes left in the match.
Albany capitalized on another broken play getting in the try zone once more, but an attempt to save time by quickly taking the conversion with a drop kick was shanked, leaving the score 38-31 with only minutes left. They were able to get another one in late showing the importance of fresh legs in the pack, a luxury the Reds did not have this game, making the score 38-36 as time expired and the game ending after another missed conversion.
Big thanks to Mark Kivi for coming out to film - https://1drv.ms/v/s!Amc4Z13O7qK94DSTrkZqN18X5Ji_
W 38-36