Albion welcome Blackheath as Cornish is ruled out for season

PLYMOUTH Albion welcome old rivals Blackheath to Brickfields today in what promises to be one of the defining fixtures of the National One run-in, a clash loaded with narrative, revenge and genuine promotion significance.

- By PABLO CHEEKS

Plymouth Albion's Shea Cornish has suffered a serious knee injury which has ended his season early

(THOMAS ANTHONY)

Albion sit second in the table, just a single point behind leaders Rotherham, with every bonus point, every defensive stand and every clinical finish potentially proving decisive in the final weeks of the campaign.

With eleven consecutive victories behind them, Albion are in the midst of their most impressive run of form in years, the longest winning streak of the Venables ownership era and the club's best sequence since the memorable 2016-17 season. Back on January 14, 2017, Albion beat Esher 29-7 at home and then surged through the remainder of that campaign unbeaten, stringing together 13 matches without defeat.

That season has long stood as a benchmark for sustained excellence at Brickfields. Now, nearly a decade on, the current squad are writing a chapter of their own and they are two wins away from matching that magical 13-game mark.

Standing in their way this weekend are the very side who last tasted victory over them. It was Blackheath who handed Albion their most recent defeat, way back at the beginning of November. That result proved a turning point. Since then, Albion have recalibrated, sharpened and grown in authority, grinding out tight wins and dominating others with increasing composure.