Sat 18 Jan 2025
Droitwich 13 Alcester 31
Alcester made a welcome return to action with a win that completed the double over their neighbours from the other end of the Saltway.
At times it was a rather scrappy contest as both sides seemed somewhat rusty, having returned to action for the first time in a month following the Christmas break and the first two weekends this year so far being frozen off.
After an even opening, the home side took the lead through a penalty after 14 minutes before Alcester hit back with a try through Max Biltcliffe who emerged with the ball under a pile of bodies.
The home side hit back and came close to scoring following a three quarter of the field length break, only to knock on just short of the line, before they did score their first try shortly afterwards to retake the lead 8-5.
On the half hour mark, Josh O’Connor used his trademark powerful hand off to blast his way through several attempted tackles on his way to the line to restore the lead for his side, a try which full back Tom Burgess converted.
With five minutes remaining in the half, the home fly half was yellow carded for failing to roll away and the visitors capitalised on their numerical advantage when prop Ieuan Hopkin found himself out wide and he bulldozed over the home winger to score his side’s third try and round off the scoring for the half and a 17-8 lead for Alcester at the break.
Droitwich started the second half as they started the first, with the first score of the half through their second try, before they were dealt a huge blow when one of their front row forwards was yellow carded and because they didn’t have a suitable replacement to prevent passive scrums, they were also forced to drop another player, which meant they played the next 10 minutes of the game with only 13 players.
The visitors made full use of their numerical advantage, when Biltcliffe scored his second try and his sides fourth and bonus point try, which Burgess converted.
Josh O’Connor then rounded off the scoring with another powerful finish for his second try, which Burgess also converted.
Ieuan Hopkin was named man of the match for another good all round display, particularly with ball in hand.
Alcester remain in second place after this result and visit third placed Old Coventrians on Saturday for the rearrangement of the postponed game from earlier in the month.
