Family affair for beaten Alcester (From Redditch Advertiser)

Family affair for beaten Alcester

8:00am Thursday 21st February 2013 in Sport

Manor Park 31, Alcester 5

IT was a family affair for Alcester as they found the going tough as in-form Nuneaton in the Midlands Four West (South).

Nick O’Connor’s returned to the side to produce a man-of-the-match performance but more importantly he played alongside stepson Steve Green and his brothers Jack and George.

Skipper Ben Hope also moved from the back row to the centre to cope with a number of injuries.

Relegation battling Alcester found Manor Park side too much for them.

O’Connor was penalised for killing the ball at the tackle area and faced 10 minutes in the sin-bin and his side were outplayed by the promotion-chasing home side.

The game was effectively over after the first quarter, during which Alcester conceded 19 points.

But led by O’Connor, and the Rich Hartley at blindside flanker, Alcester tightened up their defence.

Jack Green grew into the role of scrum-half and the boot of fly-half Jamie Randall gave his team a fair share of territory.

Going down the slope in the second period, Alcester took full advantage early on and pinned the hosts deep in their own half.

Wing Matt Ashby threatened with his strong running while second row Chris Walmsley made ground again with his charging runs.

But Manor Park made the most of their opportunities, scoring a breakaway try that put paid to any comeback.

Strong forward play from the home side saw them score their final try of the game, before Alcester gained a little consolation with a superb backs move, started by Randall and finished off by winger Luke Spencer.

Alcester head to Atherstone (2.15pm ko) on Saturday.

The seconds defeated Silhillians 45-24 at King’s Coughton.

The visitors arrived short and were lent a player by the hosts, which saw 14 versus 13 in the first-half, before the numbers were evened up in the second when Alcester’s Josh Dewstow recovered from an injury he sustained in the warm-up to play for the Solihull side.

Phil Birks, James Woodhams, Ryan Clarke (2), Dion Belfast (2) and John Williams all touched down, while Paul Taylor kicked five conversions.

Alcester’s under-16s team saw off Keresley 42-16.

Alex Chiles (2), Charlie Whiston (2), Sam Smith and Josh Godson, who also kicked six conversions, scored.