Sat 8 Nov 2025
Alcester returned to winning ways with a hard fought win over their visitors from Coventry in a game that was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests, at a busy Kings Coughton on President’s Day.
Playing down the slope, the visitors, who came into this game off the back of three impressive away victories already this season, started brightly and their early pressure brought two early kickable penalty opportunities in the first five minutes of the game, but their kicker was wide with both of his attempts at the posts.
Alcester got their attacking game going and came close to opening the scoring midway through the half, but possession was fumbled as they got in sight of the line.
Earlsdon had a third penalty opportunity inside the last five minutes of the half, but this time their kicker dropped his attempt short and it looked like the game would be scoreless at half time, but Alcester lock Lewis Wright had other ideas. He took a pass on the charge from ruck ball just inside his own half, broke the first tackle, handed off the visiting full back and then galloped away from the chasing defenders to score near the posts. Skipper Ed Gough converted to leave Alcester in front 7-0 at the break.
Josh O’Connor doubled Alcester’s try tally in the opening minutes of the second half, which Gough again converted.
The game remained hard fought but around the half way point of the second half, Alcester took the game away from Earlsdon scoring their third try through Noah Birks, again converted by Gough, before substitute Dwayne Cruickshank set Josh O’Connor free for his second try and Alcester’s bonus point score, which Gough maintained his 100% kicking record in the game from.
The visitors were still trying to get their attack going, but a loose pass was intercepted by Alcester full back Oscar Holland who raced over forty meters towards the line, but he was tap tackled as he rounded the last defender and was grounded, but he managed to pop the ball up to energetic hooker Ed Denby up in support who scored under the posts. Gough again converted.
Winger Jamie Harland continued his recent rich vein of try scoring form, with Alcester’s sixth try out wide, which Gough narrowly failed to convert on this occasion, before the visitors got the score that their play had deserved with an opening converted try to leave the score 40-7 in the home side’s favour as the game entered its last ten minutes.
The visitors scored again shortly afterwards and the competitive game, which had a tetchy edge to it throughout, boiled over in the closing stages with another set of handbags, which saw Alcester replacement Morgan O’Dell and an Earlsdon player sent to the sin bin.
There was still time for Oscar Holland to pinch another interception and this time he raced clear to the line, which Gough again converted to leave the final score at 47-12.
Alcester have another break from league action next weekend, but face a tough looking task on their next outing on 22nd November, when they visit unbeaten league leaders, Worcester.
There is action at Kings Coughton on 15th November, however, when the 3rd XV take centre stage, when they entertain AEI Rugby, a game which kicks off at 1pm, to allow the match to finish in time for the players to watch the England versus All Blacks international at 3.10pm.
First team 2025
