Sat 9 Dec 2023
Alcester narrowly lost out to their old adversaries, against whom tight games have become a real feature, particularly over the last few seasons and in front of President Steve Marchant’s assembled guests for his annual lunch.
On an extremely heavy pitch, which played into the hands of the powerful visiting pack, and playing up the slope in the first half, Alcester were forced to defend for much of the opening forty minutes, but they managed it for most of the opening period despite playing at least half of the time deep inside their twenty two meter line.
Alcester defended several five metre scrums, held up a short range Manor Park tap penalty over the line and forced a visiting attacker to knock on in the act of scoring amongst a real Herculean effort to keep the Nuneaton side out.
They were penalised a few times in the process and eventually the referee lost patience with the home side and sent hooker Max Biltcliffe to the bin, which was effectively a team yellow card due to the totting up of previous infringements. The visitors elected to kick the resulting penalty to put the first points of the afternoon on the board after half an hour.
With the additional man the visitors continued in the ascendancy and eventually crossed the line for their first try, which came from a driving line out just five minutes before half time. The Manor Park kicker brilliantly converted in very poor kicking conditions, to give his side a 10-0 lead at the break.
With the elements at their back in the second half, hopes were high for an Alcester fight back, but they were dealt a huge blow in the opening exchanges of the half, when fly half Ed Gough had a clearance kick charged down just outside his own twenty two and the visiting player who the ball connected with, won the chase to the loose ball to touch down and put his side 0-15 ahead.
To the home side’s credit they immediately rallied and took play down field. They forced a period of pressure near the visitors’ line, and it was Manor Park’s turn to spend some time a man down, when one of their forwards was yellow carded, due to persistent team infringements.
With the man advantage, the home side came close to registering their first points when hooker Max Biltcliffe was held up over the line, but the introduction of veteran Phil Birks added extra beef to the pack to help the home forwards get on top. Loose head Ant Cauvin forced his way over midway through the second half, a try which Ed Gough converted and suddenly it was game on, especially when lock Louis Smith scored Alcester’s try which Gough again converted to bring his side within a point.
Despite plenty of territory in the closing stages, it was the visitors that retained possession to run the clock down to claim the win.
Flanker Lewis Wright was nominated as man of the match for his great all round display in defence and attack.
Alcester visit Coventry side, Earlsdon for their final league outing of the season on Saturday for a 2.15pm kick off.
