Sat 16 Nov 2024
Despite a hat trick of tries from wing, Mark Burrell, Alcester just lost out in Shirley against a Camp Hill side who moved up to third place in the league table with this win.
In a game between two evenly matched sides, the lead changed hands four times, but in the end it was the hosts who claimed the spoils, although Alcester do have the consolation of two bonus points in defeat.
The visitors made a quick start and were two tries up inside eight minutes of the game. Burrell opened the scoring with his first try, which Will Silk converted, before a very well worked passage of play by Alcester moved the ball through several pairs of hands, from near to their own try line, deep into Camp Hill territory and good support play set centre Oscar Holland free to score, a try which again Silk converted.
If Alcester’s start was dramatic, the home side’s fight back was every bit as so, and by the end of the first quarter of the game, Camp Hill had scored three tries to lead 19-14. In that time, Alcester had also lost fly half, Ed Gough to injury and he was replaced by Tom Burgess, making his first start of the season.
The home side remained in the ascendancy and scored a fourth try with five minutes of the half remaining, but Alcester hit back just before the break through Burrell’s second try after a spell of sustained possession by the visitors, to trail 26-19 at half time.
Burrell started the second half as he left off the first with a very smartly taken score. He won the race to a ball kicked to the right wing by Alcester, and sprinted clear of the defence. The conversion was missed, but the red and blacks now only trailed by two points.
The second half was one of few scoring opportunities, but with around five minutes to go, the visitors reclaimed the lead through a Will Silk penalty. Camp Hill hit back and with two minutes on the clock, they slotted a penalty of their own to edge back in front.
There was still time for Alcester to be awarded another penalty within range, but this time the kick was unsuccessful and Camp Hill held on to claim the win.
The two bonus points claimed from this game move Alcester up to fourth place in the league table.
They have a week off next week, but return to action with another away game at Barkers Butts on 30th November.
