Sat 21 Dec 2024, 14:15
Alcester recorded a second league double in as many weeks with victory over Leamington, to consolidate their second-place position in the league table, but they were made to work hard by their opponents, and actually trailed at the break as the visitors used the wind and slope at their back to good effect to take the game to Alcester in the first half.
Before the game, both sides stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to Alcester’s former President, Jack Winder, who passed away earlier in the week.
With the elements at their back in the second half, Alcester cut loose to score 31 unanswered points thanks mainly to flanker Lewis Wright who scored four of Alcester’s seven tries. This was Wright’s first appearance of the season, having been injured in a pre-season fixture and he showed his side what they had been missing to end up as Alcester’s match winner.
Playing up the slope in the first half, Alcester started brightly and within four minutes of the start they took the lead through a smart finish by full back Owen Binns.
From then on, the visitors enjoyed much the better of things in the first half, using the elements well to keep play inside Alcester’s territory for long periods. Despite Leamington piling the pressure on, the home side were initially able to keep them out thanks to determined defence led by man of the match Jake Stephens-Smith.
Alcester lost Lewis Wright to the sin bin as the team conceded one too many penalties for the referee’s liking. Leamington continued to pile the pressure on and they came close to scoring when despite Alcester’s pack holding their own a man down, the visiting number 8 picked up and drove over the line, only to be held up.
Leamington did finally get their first points on the board, that their domination had deserved, when they elected to kick another penalty which was successful.
The numbers were evened up for a short while when Leamington were also shown a yellow card, when one of their flankers was penalised for an infringement at a ruck, but this did little to stop their domination of the game at this point, and they finally scored the try they had threatened with six minutes of the half remaining from a catch and drive at a line out which was followed by a brilliant conversion from the touch line, in less than ideal kicking conditions.
When Wright rejoined the play, he made an almost immediate impact with his first score as Alcester made a rare foray up field, but with half time looming, there was still chance for Leamington to score another catch and drive try to lead 15-10 at the break.
With the elements at their back in the second half, Alcester quickly gained the ascendancy. Against the strong wind in the first half, the Alcester back line had resisted kicking the ball which meant getting away from their line difficult, but their strategy was soon to have been proven correct early in the second half when an attempted Leamington clearance hung in the wind and actually spiralled backwards, catching all of their players in front of the ball offside when one of the Leamington side played the ball, which was immediately punished by Alcester from the resulting penalty when prop Ieuan Hopkin crashed over.
Now well on top, Alcester produced the best flowing back line move of the game so far to set full back Binns free again, and he scored his second try and Alcester’s bonus point score. Tom Burgess brilliantly converted the try from near to the touch line.
Having gained the lead for the first time in the game Alcester began to cut loose and most importantly managed to free up the powerful running of Wright, from his flanker position into the wide channels where he was almost operating as an extra centre, a position he has played some of his first team rugby.
Wright ran in three almost identical tries, all of which were converted by Burgess to take the game away from Leamington.
The home side came close to adding an eighth try in the final play of the game, but were held up over the line as they caught and drove a line out.
This was a good all round team performance from Alcester, where they were forced to dig deep to gain the win. In addition to the performances of man of the match Stephens-Smith and match winner Wright, and in an all round good team performance, second half substitute Alex Kershaw gave another impressive display since his recent promotion to 1st XV level.
Alcester are next in action when they visit third placed Old Coventrians on 4th January.
