OLLIE Hopkins scored four tries as Alcester RFC’s 2nd XV secured a 45-27 victory over Pinley to progress to the second round of the Warwickshire RFU Second XV Shield Competition.
Hopkins touched down four times whilst Ieuan Hopkin crossed the whitewash twice and Steve Green added a further try to Alcester’s tally.
However, Alcester were second best in the opening exchanges as the visitors had all of the early action and ran in the game’s first try after breaking off the back of the scrum.
This sparked Alcester into life as Hopkins grabbed two quickfire tries to turn the game in the home side’s favour before Pinley responded with an unconverted score from a driving maul.
And Green grabbed a try on the stroke of half time to send Alcester into the break with a 19-10 lead despite the ball appearing to be knocked on before it was grounded.
Alcester extended their advantage early in the second period as Hopkin finished following a powerful 30-metre burst before than striking again off the back of the scrum minutes later.
And Hopkins completed his hat-trick to all but seal the win before Pinley scored a breakaway try despite having a player sent to the sin bin for a high tackle.
Alcester pulled further clear when Hopkins crossed for his fourth try and his side’s seventh of the afternoon before Pinley closed out the game with two tries of their own
Hopkins responded by scoring his fourth and Alcester’s seventh try of the game but it was Pinley who closed out the game with two more tries of their own but were out of reach of Alcester’s score, not helped by their low kicking success rate.
Alcester are next in action away at Claverdon on Saturday, October 15 with kick-off at 3pm at Ossetts Hole Lane.
