RUGBY UNION - Alcester maintain perfect home record with Coventry win - The Redditch Standard

RUGBY UNION - Alcester maintain perfect home record with Coventry win

Redditch Editorial 25th Oct, 2021   0

ALCESTER RFC claimed an impressive 15-6 win against Coventry Welsh to move up to fourth place in the Midlands 3 West (South) Division and maintain their perfect home record.

 

First-half tries from Jamie Harland and Lewis Walker were aided by five points from the boot of Tom Burgess to secure a third victory in four league matches.

 




The home side had Phil Birks sent off in the closing stages but held firm in the final few minutes to bounce back from their defeat at Burbage a fortnight ago.

 


Victory for Alcester means they now sit fourth in the Midlands 3 West (South) Division table – seven points behind leaders Old Leamingtonians.

 

Both teams were penalised for ill-discipline in the opening stages before Coventry edged into a three-point lead on 15 minutes.

 

Despite missing his first attempt at the sticks – Burgess pulled Alcester level with his next penalty before the home side turned the screw.

 

Alex Chiles found space out wide before breaking the line and offloading to Harland on the wing who went beyond four defenders to score a superb opening try.

 

Burgess added the extras only for Coventry to reduce the deficit to four points with their second successful penalty attempt to complete a frantic opening 20 minutes.

 

Alcester scored their second try on the stroke of half-time when Walker touched down in the corner after the hosts had worked the ball out wide following sustained pressure.

 

That would prove to be the final score of the match as both teams allowed their ill-discipline to get the better of them in the second period.

 

Coventry had a player sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle before Burgess was shown a yellow card shortly after to leave both sides with 14 men on the field.

 

The visitors were then penalised for back chat to the referee – having only just returned to a full complement of players – to finish the game a man light.

 

However, Alcester would also finish the match with 14 players after Birks was shown a straight red card for an alleged elbow much to the bemusement of both sets of players.

 

Despite the late sending off – Alcester saw out the final few minutes to claim a third consecutive home win and move within touching distance of the leading pack.

 

The hosts produced a confident performance against Coventry and were strong in the scrum with Jack Horton impressing on his return from a broken thumb.

 

Front row replacement George Green also made his return to the playing field for the first time in over three years to cap off a fine afternoon’s work.

 

Alcester are next in action away at third place Ledbury on Saturday, October 30 with kick-off at 3pm.

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