DMPRFC produced their worst performance for several seasons, when coming a poor second to an Old Albanians RFC team fighting for National League One survival.

Quite simply, DMPRFC failed to match the passion of their visitors, who ultimately wanted the game more than their hosts.

In a game which should have been a thank you to the 1,252 supporters in attendance, the performance was not good enough.

Whether it be a combination of guaranteed league safety, near end of season blues or some other reason, there were no excuses for producing a well below par performance.

Taking nothing away from the performance of Old Albanians RFC, who were committed, inventive and in scoring 7 tries, easily claimed the 5 points on offer without really too much trouble from DMPRFC.

The lack of passion was exhibited ‘early doors’, as it looked like DMPRFC were the away side, having remained on the team bus, whilst Old Albanians racked up 3 tries and two conversions in the first 18 minutes of play.

Tries from their left wing and 2 from their hard working No. 8, of which two were converted by their fly half, took Old Albanians RFC into a 0 – 19 league, that never really looked like being in danger of overhauled.

The third and perhaps the easiest conversion was charged down by DMPRFC’s full back Henry ROBINSON.

In a bizarre 5 minute period after 34 minutes had elapsed, Old Albanians RFC found themselves in danger of meltdown, when 3 of their influential forwards were sin-binned following a succession of incidents.

A lack of control at the breakdown and contact areas by the officials empowered the players from both sides to take matters into their own hands, resulting in a halfway line melee, from which an Old Albanians RFC flanker was sin-binned for punching.

Taken aback by this, Old Albanians also consistently pulled down the maul within their 5 metre line and this led to 2 more sin-binning’s for both second rows within a minute and then 3 minutes of the first sin- binning.

DMPRFC sought to take advantage of the numbers and applied pressure to the visitors defence, resulting in a penalty try emanating from the last sin-binning (5 – 19), Garry LAW adding the easy afters under the posts (7 – 19).

However, on the stroke of half time, DMPRFC’s flanker Callum MACKENZIE was sin-binned and from the resulting penalty awarded, Old Albanians kicker was ‘on song’ with the3 points, taking his team into a deserved lead of 7 – 22 at oranges.

Still with a numerical advantage and perhaps with some stern words in the dressing room still ringing in their ears about pride and personal performance, DMPRFC burst into life on the resumption of play, with Malakai WACOKECOKE following up a grubber kick which stopped in the ‘in goal’ area and which he won the sprint for the touchdown (12 – 22).

When both sides were back to full complements of players, Old Albanians resumed their try scoring and their No.8 scored his second try from a scrum pushover (12 – 27). The conversion was good (12 – 29).

Home flanker Jack ALLCOCK gave some hope to the home supporters, with a try wide out (17 – 27), excellently converted by Garry LAW from the touchline (19 – 27).

That was the closest DMPRFC came to their visitors, as Old Albanians RFC scored 3 further tries, 2 conversions and a penalty (19 – 51), to consign their hosts to their heaviest defeat in the Arena and extend their hopes of remaining in the league until their last game.

All in all a ‘bad day at the office’ for DMPRFC, who will need to get their ‘mojo’ back for next week’s trip to local rivals Blaydon RFC, who will be ultra-keen to retain the accolade of top team in the North East in the league.

All that said, which was mainly negative, in their first season at this level and bearing in mind their predicament at Christmas in occupying one of the relegation places, DMPRFC going into their last game of the season, have a lot to shout about and will finish in mid table in one of the most competitive leagues in the country. Something that the team, the management and all connections to the club should be most proud.

Full Match Day Photography: Click Here