Alcester 21 Berkswell & Balsall 0
Midlands Three West (South)
ALCESTER recorded their fourth successive league victory with arguably their performance of the season so far to avenge the defeat they suffered in the opening league game of the season in the reverse fixture.
The hosts played the dreadful conditions at King’s Coughton superbly, particularly up the slope in the second half, when their tight forwards game and domination of the breakdown denied the then fourth-placed visitors the ball for long periods.
The previous weekend’s man of the match Ross Gard opened the try-scoring after grubber-kicking the ball towards the try-line and gathering to score. Max Biltcliffe, who has been consistent at the posts in the past few weeks, converted again.
Before Alcester took the lead, Berkswell had dominated the opening exchanges and were given the advantage again when James Bates was sin-binned for persistent infringement.
However, it did not last long as the weather made injury to cold muscles more likely and Berkswell lost two players before Alcester also lost Jamie Clarke to a head injury.
Mat Ashby scored right on the stroke of half-time after a series of pick and drives to put the home side 12-0 ahead at the break.
A successful Biltcliffe penalty, as a result of a high tackle, opened the scoring of the second half five minutes before securing another three points as the visitors were penalised again, this time for holding on.
Berkswell continued to tally up penalties against them which resulted in a player receiving a yellow card for persistent infringement and the resulting penalty saw Biltcliffe complete a hat-trick of penalties to seal victory.
Alcester, who remain seventh, visit Coventry Welsh in their next league fixture on January 5.
Dixonians 7 Alcester 2nds 5
ALCESTER 2nds narrowly lost out to their Birmingham opponents at Rowheath Park, but they were left frustrated as the match referee allegedly succumbed to the dreadful conditions and called the game early, having announced only seconds before that there were still 14 minutes left to play.
The first half was scoreless, despite the visitors having the better of the first half.
Alcester scored first in the second half when fly-half and skipper Sam Fell chipped over the top of the Dixonians defence and second row Ross Bayliss won the chase to the ball for his second try in as many weeks.
The home side hit back to take the lead with a converted score after a mistake from a loose Alcester kick.
Fell awarded try-scorer Bayliss the man of the match accolade.
