Sat 13 Dec 2025
Alcester maintained their unbeaten home record so far this season, but they were made to work extremely hard for it by a pumped-up Manor Park side, who dominated possession for large periods of the game and will consider themselves unlucky only to come away with a losing bonus point, in an extremely tight game which was befitting of the usual close contests between the two sides over the years.
The home side were dealt a blow in the opening action of the game, when flanker Will Gough took a heavy collision with a Manor Park opponent whilst trying to collect the start of the game kick off,
and was forced off with an injury which was later confirmed as ankle ligament damage. His replacement was veteran Phil Birks, who joined the action alongside his sons Toby playing at
blind side flanker, and Noah at inside centre. The visitors dominated the opening quarter of the game, but despite their possession they were met
with a determined wall of Alcester defence, which stood firm throughout the half and ended up as the main reason the game was scoreless at half time.
With the slope at their back in the second half, the home side took the early ascendancy but it took a moment of magic from left wing Jamie Harland to break the deadlock. He received the ball with
clean possession for the first real time in the game, bounced a couple of would-be tacklers inside his own half before setting off on a powerful which took him through some attempted tackles and
round others, to open the try account. Skipper Ed Gough converted.
The game remained a very even contest, with Alcester having more possession in the second half, despite the visitor’s continued domination of the scrum.
Three yellow cards were awarded in the next period of the game, before the next scoring attempt; one for the home side for full back Oscar Holland and two for the visitors.
With the play at 13 against 14 players, Alcester kicked a penalty through the boot of skipper, Ed Gough, to take the score to 10-0 in their favour with less than 15 minutes left.
When their full contingent returned, the visitors scored a try through their talismanic hooker Chris Goode, who has scored regularly against Alcester in the games between the two sides over recent
seasons. The try was converted which made for a tense finish to the game, particularly because Alcester played much of the closing period of the game a man down, due to the yellow carding of
prop, Sam Lear.
The home side were forced to resolutely defend, as they had been made to do on a number of occasions throughout the game, but they managed to see out the victory.
