Newbold on Avon 29 Alcester 33
Alcester booked their place in next weekend’s Warwickshire Shield Final against Old Leamingtonians, with arguably their best away performance of the season and a superb victory in the east of the county on Saturday.
Having had a less than conventional route to the semi final with match cancellations and opponent withdrawals, Alcester faced a difficult task against a Newbold side who, like Alcester, also finished second in their league at the same level 7 of the national structure and who have registered an excellent home record this season.
The visitors, playing in their new yellow and black changed strip, thanks to sponsors Evtec, made a determined start and dominated early possession and territory. They were ahead on four minutes when prop Ieuan Hopkin powered over from a short-range ruck. Skipper, Ed Gough, converted the score.
Such was Alcester’s early intensity, that the home side were struggling to contain them and conceded three early penalties for high tackles and after ten minutes, referee Martin Nailor sent a home player to the sin bin.
With the man advantage, Alcester continued to press forward and another penalty presented a kickable opportunity, but Gough was just wide with the kick and the score remained at 7-0 in his side’s favour.
With the yellow carded player still off the field, the home side were further reduced in numbers when another yellow card was shown for a no arms tackle and the visitors took full advantage when hooker Max Biltcliffe scored their second try, which Gough again converted.
With their numbers restored, Newbold began to get into the game and looked dangerous whenever their backline had ball in hand. Following a turnover, the ball was moved quickly to their left winger to score in corner.
Just as it looked the home side might start to get on top, Alcester hit back with a third try, as no 8 Lewis Wright jinked his way through the defence to score, after some excellent team play, with Gough once adding the extras.
Newbold hit back again before half time with their second try, but with their regular kicker off injured earlier in the half, his replacement was not able to convert and Alcester led 21-10 at the break.
The home side started the second half with renewed purpose and within two minutes they had pulled back to within a score, with their third try, which this time was converted.
An end to end five minutes then followed before Alcester’s Jack Green, today operating at outside centre, took the ball on the charge and bowled over a defender on his way to the line, to restore his side’s advantage. Gough once again converted to move the score to 28-17 in his side’s favour.
The home side hit straight back with their fourth try and second conversion and once again looked like they might start to impose themselves on the game.
The visitors looked to the bench for fresh legs and veteran flanker, Phil Birks, giving a man of the match performance and operating once again alongside his sons Toby and Noah in the side, made way for another veteran and club legend, Robbie Parker, which forced a positional reshuffle with Will Silk moving to the flank and Parker slotting in at his favoured scrum half position.
Within minutes, Alcester had extended their lead again when Wright blazed through the defence to score his second try.
Newbold made changes to their pack and began to put the pressure on up front in particular, but the visitors’ defence held firm until the final ten minutes when they scored their fourth try to narrow the scoreline to 29-33.
Ethan Moll came on a substitute for the final ten minutes to provide fresh legs for the tiring Biltcliffe, who was another who had put a huge shift in today, which prompted another reshuffle of personnel.
Already under pressure from Newbold attacks, it was Alcester’s turn to play a man down when wing James Lampitt was yellow carded for the final four minutes of the game, after a trip on an opponent and although the home side threw everything at Alcester, the visitors held firm to claim an excellent win.
Alcester now face Old Leamingtonians in the final on Sunday May 10th at Nuneaton, only their second ever appearance in the Warwickshire Shield final, with the last one being some 29 years ago.
