Sat 13 Sep 2025
Counties Four Midlands West (East)
Trinity Guild 20 Alcester 2nd XV 45
After last week’s walk over victory, Alcester’s 2nd XV travelled to Coventry side, Trinity Guild, for their first contested game playing at Counties 4 level and against opponents who until fairly recently were a regular feature of the 1st XV fixture list.
It was a successful first outing of the season, as Alcester came away with a hard-fought bonus point victory, where they scored seven tries, with scrum half Rich Udall scoring a hat trick and the returning Lewis Walker a brace, after having had over a year out with injury.
The men in red and black started well, and with sustained pressure, pinned the home side in their own twenty-two metre line. Unfortunately, Alcester were unable to turn that early dominance into points.
Trinity Guild regrouped and started asking questions of the Alcester defence. It was the home side that broke the deadlock, notching the games first try which was converted to give them a 7-0 lead.
Alcester’s response was swift. An attacking line out inside the opponents twenty-two was passed to Rich Udall who jinked his way to the line for his first try of the game.
Not long afterwards Alcester were settled and playing their best rugby of the half. Attacking shape and organisation created space and a dominant carry from Phill Birks with a beautifully timed offload created a gap for Luke Spencer to power through and score under the posts.
At this point Alcester had established a lead and never looked back.
Rich Udall bagged his second try after Guild fumbled the ball at the back of the scrum leading to a 50 metre chase which Udall won before winger Ollie Clark got on the score board after slick passing created space out wide.
Alcester went into half time with a comfortable lead, but the game wasn’t secure by any means.
A poor start to the second half and a resurgence from the home side saw Alcester concede two tries with Guild narrowing the deficit.
It was the visitors who ended the game the stronger and through the rotation of players, had enough in the legs to get the job done.
Big hits and carries were taking their toll on the tiring Guild players and sustained waves of Alcester pressure were rewarded. Lewis Walker getting his two tries and Rich Udall securing his third, cementing his position as man of the match.
Alcester are next in action on 4th October when Shipston 2nds visit Kings Coughton for a 3pm kick off.
