Five-star Grainger caps impressive season in style - The Redditch Standard

Five-star Grainger caps impressive season in style

Redditch Editorial 15th Apr, 2015 Updated: 18th Oct, 2016   0

Alcester 54 Malvern 3rds 14

WINGER Jake Grainger ran in five tries to claim the man of the match award for Alcester on Saturday and finish off his first season of senior rugby in fine style.

Grainger, a recent convert from football, has been one of a number of newcomers to the club who have made Alcester much stronger this season and in the last home game of the campaign the team again showed just how much they have improved since this time last year in running in ten tries to Malvern’s one consolation score.

Grainger scored his team’s first four tries from his position as right winger and his captain Jack Green slotted two of the conversions to make it 24-5 to the home side after the first quarter of the match.




Late tries from scrum half Robbie Parker and lock Louis Smith made it 34-14 by half time, with Malvern’s other points coming from the boot of their fly half’s three successful penalty kicks.

The second half followed a very similar pattern as Alcester, now with the slope at their back and playing an expansive game orchestrated by Sam Smith at fly half, entertained the spectators throughout.


Grainger scored his fifth try of the game before picking up an injury in the process of scoring.

Parker scored his second try with an outstanding, weaving run and second row Smith was the beneficiary of an excellent team move when he picked up the final pass from number 8 Phil Birks to score his second try.

The final try of the game came from teenage flanker Lewis Walker who was doing what all good back rowers should do – supporting a break – and once he received the ball he proved to be unstoppable as he skipped through to score his maiden first XV try.

After the match veteran scrum half Robbie Parker was named the winner of this season’s Brostin Warmwell Trophy – awarded by four long-standing supporters of Alcester RFC – a well deserved accolade for a player at the very top of his game this season.

Before the game Alcester unveiled memorial benches in honour of former president Jim Adams, who passed away in 2013, and for Alan Cotton who died last year.

Current president Courtney Wells and another former president Jack Winder led the tributes to the pair, who were both stalwarts during their time at Alcester RFC.

Robbie Parker spin passing from his scrum half position. (s)

Double try-scoring lock Louis Smith on the charge. (s)

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