ALCESTER Town fell to a narrow defeat 1-0 loss to Leamington Hibernian in Midlands Division Three on Saturday.

Player/manager James Robbins made four changes to the side defeated by Redditch Borough in last week’s Challenge Vase semi-final.

Matt Trinder, Mark Briggs, Nick Dance and Steve Nurse all started at the expense of Filippo Mannina, Adam Trinder, Jeff Henry and Lamar Simms.

Town, with the wind at their backs, edged the first half, but in truth were lacking tempo and and energy all over.

With home goalkeeper Rich Layton untroubled, his opposite number Joe Weston was a little busier, smothering at the second attempt on two occasions and tipping an acrobatic Nurse effort over the bar.

Town came out with more purpose in the second half. Nurse was replaced by Simms shortly after the interval having picked up an injury after clashing with Weston late in the first period.

Alcester’s rivals were reduced to 10 men when a defender took exception to a Matt Trinder challenge and grabbed the ex-Hibs man around the neck.

But it was Hibs who won the game when Luke Swinnerton finished well.