Bragging rights are Alcester's at long last - The Redditch Standard

Bragging rights are Alcester's at long last

Redditch Editorial 11th Dec, 2018   0

Alcester 36 Woodrush 18

Midlands Three West (South)

ALCESTER earned the local derby bragging rights over their neighbours from Wythall for the first time in a decade with a comprehensive victory at Kings Coughton.

Ross Gard led the scoring for the home side with his first hat-trick for the club, which earned him the title of man of the match.




Alcester started the game well and after a catch and drive from a lineout the ball was popped to Jamie Harland for him to give Alcester an early lead. Max Biltcliffe added the extra points to put the home side 7-0 ahead within five minutes.

Alcester dominated the first quarter of the game and, although they missed some chances, Jack Green managed to power through for the second try of the game.


Woodrush then struck with their first period of pressure and slotted over their first points of the game through a penalty kick.

Almost identical to the first try, Alcester led a catch and drive, only to be held up over the line. From the resulting scrum, Woodrush were penalised for infringement and Alcester took the free kick quickly and brisk hands to the left wing allowed Gard to score out wide. Biltcliffe continued his success with his boot.

A late first half penalty for the visitors saw the teams go into the break with Alcester 21-6 to the good.

Alcester played up the slope in the second half but this did not deter them. They attacked with good hands to draw the opposition defence away from Gard who crossed the line for the second time in the game. Biltcliffe gave his best effort from out wide but missed his first conversion of the game.

The game became scrappy but a more even affair and Woodrush were able to score after a period of pressure, but Alcester hit straight back as Gard bagged his hat-trick score.

An end to end game saw legs beginning to tire but the visitors’ outside centre showed great energy by bursting through from the 22 for a converted try.

Alcester retaliated again though and a final lineout saw hooker Tommy Wright throw in the ball and then join the back of the driving maul to burst through and score the final try of the game and seal Alcester’s third consecutive league win.

The victory saw the Kings Coughton men leapfrog their opponents into seventh place at the halfway point of the campaign.

Alcester play their last league game of the year on Saturday when Berkswell & Balsall are the visitors to Kings Coughton. Alcester lost out in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the league campaign against the side who sit fourth.

Stratford Veterans 44 Alcester 2nds 10

ALCESTER 2nds lost out to a streetwise Stratford side whose greater size, experience and numbers eventually told.

Alcester travelled with 16 players but faced a large Stratford squad who were able to introduce fresh legs in the second half as the visitors tired.

Stratford led 10-0 at half time in front of a sizeable crowd at Pearcecroft, but they took the game away from Alcester in the second half.

The visitors did have a couple of moments of their own to cheer when Scott McGhee and Ross Bayliss crossed for tries – the latter his maiden senior score for Alcester – running in from distance to do so.

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