ALCESTER RFC lost 45-12 away at runaway league leaders Luctonians II as the Kings Coughton club suffered a third straight league defeat.
The visitors held their own in the first half as Matt Johnson and Josh O’Connor crossed for tries before Luctonians ran away with the game in the second period at Mortimer Park.
And the result means Alcester sit seventh in the Counties 1 Midlands West (South) table.
Alcester scored the game’s opening try to stun the league leaders when Johnson charged down a kick and won the race to the loose ball.
However, Luctonians scored two quickfire tries to turn the game on its head before O’Connor threw a trademark dummy as he crossed for the away side’s second try soon after.
Luctonians struck again before the break to lead by seven points at the interval before the home side scored their bonus point try early in the second half.
And after Luctonians scored their fifth try of the afternoon, Alcester lost captain Will Silk and Will Gough to the sin bin to leave the visitors temporarily down to 13-men.
Luctonians stretched their lead with a penalty try before scoring their seventh and final try of the match as Alcester began to tire.
Alcester are next in action away at Droitwich on Saturday, February 17 with kick-off at 2.15pm at Hanbury Road.
Elsewhere, the club’s second team won 45-24 at Malvern 3rds as Alcester eventually broke the deadlock through captain Luke Spencer’s try following a tight opening quarter.
Further tries from Ollie Pittaway and Paul Gardner increased Alcester’s lead only for Malvern to keep themselves in the contest with two tries before the break.
However, Spencer scored a magnificent solo try as the start of the second half as he caught the kick-off deep in his own 22 before chipping the ball over the Malvern defence and running in under the posts.
Alcester struck twice more through Josh Ellis and Ollie Tabor, off the back of excellent work from the forwards, before Jim Watson kicked ahead and stripped his opponent of the ball to score.
Malvern scored two consolation tries as Alcester comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to secure a convincing win.
