Sat 5 Apr 2025
ALCESTER 31 BERKSWELL AND BALSALL 7
Alcester finished the league season as they started, with a victory over Berkswell and Balsall, to complete the league double over their opponents and in the process consolidate a respectable fifth placed finish in the league.
In the beautiful spring sunshine at Kings Coughton, Alcester started up the slope and were in front inside seven minutes when Will Silk profited from a good break and pass by Ed Gough to cross for the first try which Gough converted.
With Gough off the field with a dead leg, full back Dwayne Cruickshank took over kicking duties to slot over a penalty after the visitors were penalised for not releasing at a tackle.
With the home side well on top, wing James Lampitt continued his recent rich vein of try scoring form which Cruickshank converted to give his side a 17-0 lead.
The visitors began to get a foot hold in the game and enjoyed their first period of sustained pressure in the Alcester half, but determined defence held them up over the line in. They retained the momentum and finally got the try their pressure deserved, which was converted to bring the scoreline to 17-7 which was the final score of the half.
With the slope at their back in the second half and with their pack on top at scrum time, Alcester regained the ascendancy. From a visitors’ put in at a scrum near to their own line, scrum half Will Silk was quick to react and charged down the attempted clearance by the Berkswell fly half, which sent the ball over the try line and open-side flanker Jake Stephens-Smith pounced on the loose ball for his side’s third try, which Cruickshank converted.
The game entered a scrappy phase of numerous stoppages, which prevented any real momentum in Alcester’s play, before the visitors were reduced to fourteen men in the closing stages due to a late tackle and the home side made the most of their numerical advantage, to add their bonus point score after a powerful run from prop Ieuan Hopkin following nice hands from Alex Kershaw. Cruickshank again converted, which left the final score at 31-7.
