Sat 28 Feb 2026
Alcester consolidated second place in the table, to extend their three-month unbeaten run, with a hard-fought victory, to complete the league double over their opponents on an extremely heavy pitch in Coventry.
After an even opening, skipper Ed Gough opened the scoring with a penalty kick mid-way through the half, after the home side had earlier failed in a penalty attempt of their own.
Shortly afterwards, the home side lost a flanker to the sin bin after a yellow card for a high tackle on Alcester winger Lewis Walker.
In the closing stages of the half, Walker was in the thick of the action again when he finished smartly for his side’s first try, which Gough converted and a 10-0 lead at the break.
The visitors extended their lead ten minutes into the second half, thanks to a try from prop Ieuan Hopkin which Gough again converted.
Midway through the half and after a series of penalties against the visitors, full back Dwayne Cruickshank was yellow carded and the home side made the most of the man advantage to score their first try.
The game remained hard fought, but without real incident, for most of the remaining quarter before Earlsdon scored again in the closing stages and in the run up to that try, Cruickshank was injured which forced the game to be moved to another pitch for the final moments, whilst he lay down injured.
Thankfully after a trip in an ambulance, he turned out to be okay, heartened no doubt by the fact his side closed out another good win.
Skipper Gough nominated his two youngest team mates, forwards Ed Denby and Jake Stephens-Smith as his joint men of the match, for their excellent defence especially on first phase ball in midfield.
Alcester’s last defeat was on the 22nd November in Worcester, and next Saturday the same unbeaten league leaders are the visitors to Kings Coughton for a 3pm kick off.
