Sat 28 Jan 2023
Alcester’s title hopes were dealt a huge blow as their Coventry visitors inflicted a first home defeat of the season on the Kings Coughton men, completing the league double over Alcester in the process.
Despite this being only their second defeat of the season, Alcester surrendered top spot in the table to Nuneaton based, Manor Park, a week after the scheduled fixture between the league’s top two had fallen victim to the icy conditions last weekend. That potentially crucial fixture, to the final reckonings, has now been rescheduled for 18th March on the last weekend of the season.
Alcester started playing down the slope in the first half and after a fairly even opening to the game, they took the lead after 15 minutes. Matt Johnson took a clean take in the line out and the home pack drove on. When the maul was stopped, the home forwards picked and drove from subsequent rucks, to inch further to the line, and no 8 Iuean Hopkin drove over for the first try of the game. Tom Burgess kick the conversion.
The opening quarter of the game included some feisty exchanges and the referee eventually lost patience and sent the visiting open side flanker to the bin for a high tackle.
Whilst he was away, Alcester increased their lead. Another good line out take was driven on by the home pack and hooker Max Biltcliffe was at the back of the maul to crash over for the second try. The conversion was missed to leave Alcester 12-0 ahead.
Despite being ahead, Alcester lacked most of their usual fluidity to their back line play and the visitors started to get more of a foot hold in the game despite still being reduced in numbers. They took their first scoring opportunity of the game through a penalty kick after a home infringement at a ruck, to narrow the score line to 12-3.
Not long after the Old Wheats sin binned player returned to the play, he got himself involved in some “afters” following a tackle and the referee showed him a second yellow and then a red card, so the visitors were permanently reduced to 14 men, just before half time.
Alcester didn’t have the numerical advantage for long. Early in the second half, Dwayne Cruikshank was red carded for a tackle that was deemed to be high and late and so they too were reduced to 14 for the rest of the game.
Buoyed by the evening up of numbers, the visitors took control of the game and it was no surprise when they scored their first try, which also emanated from a catch and drive line out. The try was converted so Alcester now only led 12-10 at this point.
The home side’s play had become particularly disjointed and error strewn now as the visitors applied the pressure and Alcester were just not able to set their main ball carriers free in any space.
Wheats continued to dominate territory, playing down the slope, and they took the lead in the game, midway through the second half, with another try from a catch and drive line out, which was also converted, to bring the score to 12-17.
Alcester’s best period of possession of the half came in the closing stages of the game, as they looked for a way back and although they were awarded a penalty inside the Wheats twenty two, the penalty was reversed due to an infringement at a ruck which also saw the yellow carding of Phil Birks.
The visitors closed the game out shortly afterwards to claim a deserved win. They stay in third position in the league but have put themselves firmly back in the promotion mix, with this win. They remain the only team to have beaten Alcester this season.
Alcester will be hoping to bounce back when they host Woodrush on Saturday 4th February for a game that is rescheduled from the fixture that was lost to the icy weather conditions in December. Kick off at Kings Coughton is 2.15pm.
