BILLY SEARLE is hoping Plymouth Albion can get their away tactics spot on once again this season when they play Fylde at Woodlands today (3pm).
Albion have won five matches on the road this term, including their last three – away at Rosslyn Park, Hartpury College and Wharfedale.
But they go into this afternoon’s National One clash on the back of a disappointing 17-7 home defeat at the hands of Hull Ionians. That ended a run of five consecutive victories for Graham Dawe’s young side.
“It was a disappointing result after our good run,” said teenage fly-half Searle. “But, hopefully, we can bounce back this week.
“Hopefully, it will be better weather for us and we can go there and get the win.”
He added: “Last week’s result was a bit of a kick in the teeth as we had been going so well.
“We are a confident bunch, especially in front of our home crowd. There was quite a good crowd considering the weather and we would have liked to have put on a better performance, but it was just one of those days for us. Hopefully, we can put that right.”
Searle admitted that maybe Albion tried to impress their supporters too much in horrible conditions.
Plymouth did dominate territory and possession but Hull scored three first half tries following kicks to the corner.
“Maybe because of the home crowd we tried to play too much really,” said Searle. “Tactically we maybe could have done better, but we do like playing at home a lot better. We do get a buzz from the crowd, it is just we did not play the game as well as we could have done.
“Fylde are a different team to Hull completely. Fylde really like to throw it around and have got some good, quick backs out wide. We will have to be careful with that. We need to study them and hopefully we can go up there and get a good win.
“We need to go back to how we were and, hopefully, get our tactics better that last Saturday. Hopefully, that can help us get a win.”
Searle, who played against a number of the Fylde team when playing for Cornwall at Twickenham in the County Championship final against Lancashire last May, admitted he did not like playing in last weekend’s conditions.
“They are not my favourite conditions to say the least, but it is one of those things and it is the same for both teams,” he said.
“If it comes to it again next time we just have to adapt better.
“This week we just have to expect the worst and try and go up there and put on a good show.”