CHRISTIAN JUDGE admitted Plymouth Albion’s team spirit and character really showed through on Saturday against Wharfedale.
Albion went into the National One match on the back of a heavy loss at Ampthill and unsettled by the club’s off-the-field situation.
But they put that behind them to beat Wharfedale 30-10 and claim their 19th win of the season in front of a crowd of 1,393.
“It’s been tough,” admitted tight-head prop Judge. “But you always have to look forward. Things have not always gone our way like the Ampthill result and the rest of it, but you just have to look to the next game. That’s what we did last week and thankfully it paid off.
“I think our team character has really shown as the season has gone on.
“We are a very tight-knit group – everyone gets on well and I think that does translate on to the pitch.
“After a loss like Ampthill that character was what pulled us together as a group.”
Judge was one of Albion’s try scorers on Saturday.
It was only his second for the club and his first at home, with his other coming away at Rosslyn Park.
“I was very fortunate,” he said modestly. “Billy (Searle) just put in a nice little off-load and I saw the line and thought I’ve just got to go for it and thankfully I managed to score.
“That’s two in a season, so I’m very pleased. I never expected that.
“It was really nice to get one in front of the home crowd.
“There was a good atmosphere and after last week we knew we wanted to come back and make a bit of a statement. We played first and foremost for the badge, but also for ourselves as a group.”