Sat 2 Dec 2023
Alcester 29 Broadstreet 2nd XV 7
Alcester claimed a bonus point home victory against their visitors from Coventry, but they were made to work hard for their win by a side that dominated possession for large periods of the game, but who were frustrated by a well organised and determined home defence, that was the root of the victory for the Kings Coughton men.
On a cold mirky day, Alcester started up the slope with an injury affected backline, which saw debuts for Dylan Robson and Liam Tallent and a first start for Harry Roderick on the wing.
They were dealt another injury blow inside the first quarter of the game, when hooker Max Biltcliffe was forced off. He was replaced by Jake Stephens-Smith.
After fending off Broadstreet pressure, Alcester took the lead against the run of play when loose head prop, Ant Cauvin, intercepted a stray Broadstreet pass and then charged from the half way line. He ran out of gas, just metres from the line, but offloaded to Ed Gough, who was hauled down just short of the line. The ball was recycled to Cauvin who remains up in support and he gathered a low pass well before dropping over the line to open the scoring. Gough converted for a 7-0 lead.
The visitors continued to have the majority of the possession but also continued to met with a stern defence and they lacked the penetration to hurt the home side on the scoreboard. When Alcester did have some continuity in their play, they were far more ruthless in attack and Harry Roderick scored the second try after being gifted the opportunity by Lewis Wright after some fluent hands had set him free.
The visitors were rewarded for having the majority of possession, right on the stroke of half time with a converted try, as for once Alcester were a little upright in defence allowing Broadstreet through, to bring the score at the break to 12-7.
Now with the slope at their back in the second half, Alcester started brightly. They came close to a third score, when they crossed the line only for it to be disallowed owing to a scrum infringement.
When Broadstreet took the play back up field, home centre Jamie Clarke was adjudged to have been offside at a ruck and was unlucky to be yellow carded for the infringement.
Even with the man down, the home side remained in the ascendancy as they pressed to increase their lead. Prop Kyran Flynn crashed over, but the try was ruled out as the offload pass he received was from a player just in touch, shortly before no 8 Christian Rushton was the next to cross the line, but he lost control of it in the very greasy conditions.
With only one score it and with the visitors still having plenty of the ball, there was still a chance of them claiming victory, but full back Dwayne Cruickshank calmed the nerves with his side’s third try, before flanker Lewis Wright scored Alcester’s try of the match. He made a determined run for the line, but was hauled down short, however he used every inch of his 6-foot 6 frame and seemingly telescopic arms to reach out and touch the ball down over the line.
The home side’s final score came from fly half Ed Gough, who intercepted a Broadstreet pass, just inside the visitors’ half and sprinted in to score, before adding the conversion, which were the final points of the match.
Alcester were put to the test in this game but this match signalled the end of the first half of the season, and they are pleased with the way they have adapted and are more than competing at this level. They lie in a very respectable 7th place and next week play host to their fellow promoted side, and old adversaries Manor Park who lie in 4th place and who themselves have made an impressive start to their season, for a 2.15pm kick off.
