ALCESTER strengthened their grip on third place in Midlands Four West (South) without having to set foot on the field as Saturday’s scheduled hosts Kings Norton were unable to raise a side due to an injury and unavailability crisis.
The Kings Coughton men were awarded a walkover victory which extends their winning run to six games but club spokesman Andy Flynn regretted the situation which Kings faced.
“Whilst we are grateful for the league points awarded which bolsters our third placed position in the league table, we would much rather have won them on the field and take no pleasure in benefiting from the difficult time that one of our oldest opponents and closest rivals is having.
“All at Kings Coughton wish them all the very best to a return to normal service very soon.”
Alcester are back on home soil on Saturday when they host mid-table Pershore.
Bournville 2nds 14 Alcester 31
WITH a walkover victory against Kings Norton in the bag, Alcester travelled to Birmingham to play Bournville 2nds, whose 1st XV play three levels higher than them in a hastily arranged friendly.
The change of opposition did not disrupt Alcester who raced to another impressive victory as they ran in five tries.
The first came from fly half Scott Carmichael who squeezed through a gap in a tight Bournville defence to finish off a sweeping Alcester attack.
Leading 5-0 at half time, Alcester stepped up to another level in the second half and centre Jack Green crossed the line early on for another try in what is becoming an impressive season for the club captain.
The home side scored out wide to close the gap before Tom Goddard scored Alcester’s third try having taken over at fly half at the interval.
Flanker Jamie Clarke extended the lead when he latched on to a superb offload from substitute Michael Nason before a rare lapse in the Alcester defence allowed Bournville back in for a second score.
However, Green scored his second try of the game and also slotted over three conversions to complete the scoring.
Number 8 Phil Birks was outstanding throughout and collected the man of the match award, whilst youngster Jamie Harland was a threat all afternoon and winger Jamie Hackett made an impressive first team debut on the wing.
Alcester 2nds 17 Stoke Old Boys 2nds 7
Warwickshire 2nd XV Shield quarter-final
ALCESTER progressed to the semi-final of the Shield with a deserved win over their Coventry visitors.
The slope on the Kings Coughton pitches can be a real benefit to the team playing down them and often also with the wind at their back, but on this occasion both teams played their best rugby against the elements as all points were scored up the slope.
Alcester scored early on in the first half when flanker Ben Hope was on hand to benefit from a great break by Will Silk before fly half Max Biltcliffe converted.
The game was not lacking in a competitive edge and midway through the first half this spilled over into a bout of handbags which saw on-field Alcester skipper Rup Daffern and his opposite number receive ten minutes in the sin-bin after being yellow-carded.
Whilst both sides were playing with reduced numbers, Alcester increased their lead.
Seventeen-year-old Harry Adams, making only his third 2nd XV start after stepping up from junior rugby, scored his first senior try from the scrum half position he was operating in.
He did extremely well in this position throughout the game as his accurate arrowed pass put his fly half Biltcliffe on the front foot on numerous occasions.
The home side remained in the ascendancy in no small part due to their domination of the lineout as Hope was especially prominent.
Wing Toby Allen crossed for a third try for his side after a dominant period of sustained pressure in the Stoke Old Boys half.
At 17-0 up at the break and with the slope at their back in the second half, Alcester were guilty of a little complacency in the opening period when the visitors played the better rugby and deservedly crossed for their first try which was converted.
They fought back briefly and were awarded a penalty from long range which Biltcliffe sent wide before the hosts lost Alastair Hooper to the sin-bin with 15 minutes left and Stoke were presented with a man advantage opportunity to get back into the game.
The visitors did enjoy much the better of the closing stages, but were kept out by some stern defence before they made a clean line break and looked set to score on their left wing.
However, they reckoned without Oscar Holland who showed a fantastic turn of pace to make a try-saving tackle.
Adams suffered a knock near the end and was forced off. He was replaced by someone literally old enough to be his grandfather in the shape of 52-year-old Paul Taylor who helped close the game out.
Alcester Colts 17 Loughborough Colts 21
LOUGHBOROUGH came from 17-0 down in the second half to snatch victory at Kings Coughton.
Alcester scored early on through winger James Gionis before Cian Allen broke through several tackles to score his 11th try this season.
Turning around 10-0 ahead at the break, the home side remained in the ascendancy and, when Allen scored his second which was converted, it looked like Alcester would press home their advantage to record another win.
The visitors had other ideas though, scoring three converted tries including one at the death to snatch victory.
