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Saints Silence Thurrock in Eight-Try Rout
OAs ruthless on the road as they maintain unbeaten Championship run with 48–0 win
Match Report: Thurrock T-Birds 0 – 48 Old Albanian Saints
Sunday 2nd November 2025
Oakfield, Grays
Pictured: Player of the Match Ellie Cunningham directs play from fullback
Old Albanian Saints extended their unbeaten run in emphatic style, powering to a 0–48 victory away at Thurrock to stay top of the Championship South.
Despite the scoreline, it was a tight opening forty minutes, with Thurrock defending doggedly and the Saints’ usual set-piece dominance providing the main platform for attack. Grace Chapman opened the scoring with a trademark carry through traffic before scrum-half Hannah Johnston pounced on an interception to race clear under the posts. Chapman struck again before half-time, sending the visitors into the break 0–19 up after a disciplined, patient display.
The second half saw the Saints find another gear. Johnston exploited gaps around the fringes of the breakdown for her second, securing the bonus point, before replacement fly-half Caroline Collie finished a well-worked team move minutes after entering the fray. From there, the floodgates opened — impact prop Chloe Flanagan produced a storming run, fending off two defenders to crash over, Shaniah Herelle added another out wide, and Mererid Jones capped proceedings by diving onto a pinpoint cross-field kick from Collie to score in the final play of the game.
Ellie Cunningham converted four of the seven tries and was named Player of the Match for her control, composure, and tactical kicking throughout.
The result cements OA Saints’ position at the top of the Championship South table, with their unbeaten record still intact.
Final Score: Thurrock T-Birds 0 – 48 Old Albanian Saints
Tries: Chapman (2), Johnston (2), Collie, Flanagan, Herelle, Jones
Conversions: Cunningham (4)
Player of the Match: Ellie Cunningham
The 1XV return home this Sunday (9th November) to host Bath at Woollams, where they’ll look to continue their winning form in front of the home crowd.
The 2XV had a bye this weekend, with their scheduled fixture against Cannock postponed to a later date.