Sat 25 Jan 2025
What promised to be a massive game for two top of the table and in-form teams certainly did not disappoint - with both teams putting on a real show for the noisy crowd at Tile Hill Lane. Having snook a victory in the corresponding fixture at the end of last season, OCs knew that they could beat second placed Alcester, but, from the outset, the visitors looked determined to avenge that loss.
The game started off at a real pace – which barely let up all game. After 5 minutes, OCs moved the ball wide into the hands of Ayuk Takang on the wing, who showed blistering pace to dart through the Alcester defence and make it all the way to the Alcester 5m line. The Alcester defence just manage to scramble back in time and prevent OCs taking an early lead. Alcester were able to clear their line and as they drove through the middle of the field only a superb cover tackle by Alex Kelly prevented Alcester from scoring under the posts. However, in an effort to steal the ball at the breakdown, an OCs player was adjudged to have entered the ruck illegally and Alcester opted to take the simple kick and put 3 points up on the scoreboard. Almost straight from the re-start, Alcester were back on the charge as their second row broke through the OCs line, only to be hauled down once again by Alex Kelly – this time the penalty at the breakdown went to OCs. OCs were enjoying a good spell of play and, with the line beckoning, Elliot Sheepy picked the ball up and, head down, drove over the line for the first try of the match. Chatty Senavirathne stepped up to slot over the extra 2 points.
Alcester quickly proved why they are second in the league and their aggression and determination paid off when they manufactured a lovely try from a deft backs move which saw their fly-half loop round the outside and, as their inside centre drew in two OCs defenders, the No. 10 broke through the gap and romped home under the posts. With the conversion, Alcester went back into the lead at 7 v 10. As both sides fought hard for supremacy, tempers boiled over with Alcester penalised for another high tackle. As the referee lectured the two captains and handbags put away - normal service resumed in this frenetic match. OCs pushed Alcester back with a well-taken penalty kick deep into the Alcester 22. However, OCs were not quite able to take advantage of their field position as Alcester rose high to steal the lineout throw and clear their lines. OCs had another foray into the visitor’s half, as Emosi Nabakeke’s weaving run gave some space to the OCs backs out wide – but a loose pass put an end to a great opportunity for them to go back into the lead. Alcester’s sterling defence was rewarded when their hooker scooped up a loose ball in the middle of the park to outstrip several chasing OCs players to score their second try of the game and move into a 10 point lead.
OCs started to look a little ragged in their play as they lost another lineout throw to the well-drilled Alcester forwards, but they were not able to make anything of the turnover. Alcester conceded a free kick from an offence at the scrum. Captain, Sam Miles, alert to the situation, took a quick tap, fed the ball out to Chatty who flighted a beautiful long pass which landed perfectly into the arms of Emosi who gave the covering defence absolutely no chance as he dived over in the corner. With half-time fast approaching, Alcester launched another attack out wide and as their winger chipped over the top, Josh Kent was deemed to have hit the player late and was yellow carded for the incident. Alcester kicked the penalty deep into the OC’s 22 but somehow Chris Cain managed to steal the throw in and the ball was cleared in to touch, to signal the end of the half. In a very competitive and combative first half, Alcester were on balance good for their slender lead.
Half-time score: Old Coventrians 12 v 17 Alcester
Alcester came out of the traps much the better at the start of the second half. Only a few minutes into the half, Alcester’s openside flanker powered through a gap in the defence. It looked very much like he was going to extend Alcester’s lead but he was stopped in his tracks by what everyone thought was a try-saving tackle by Emosi, only for the No. 7 to find a way to pop the ball up to a supporting teammate who gratefully accepted the pass to run in under the OCs posts. Alcester stretching their lead to 12 points looked very confident that more was to come. But this young OCs team had other ideas and that try was to be the last time Alcester crossed the OCs line.
OCs, back on the attack, worked some space out wide on the right but another loose pass, with the line beckoning, prevented them from narrowing the gap. Not to be denied, from an OCs scrum inside the Alcester half, the ball was whipped out quickly to Emosi who committed the defence and opened up a 2 on 1 chance for his opposite winger Ayuk to outpace the cover and score a much-deserved try in the corner, which brought he home side back to within one score at 17 v 24. As OCs pushed forward again, Alcester’s tough-tackling centre strayed a little too high in the tackle for the referee’s liking and was dismissed from the field for a 10-minute breather. With OCs lineout starting to work much better, Dan Anderson rose high to take the throw in and Chatty’s slanted run gave the charging Alex Kelly just enough space to drive through a two-man tackle, step inside the final Alcester defender and score an excellent try under the posts. His dive over the line scoring a 9.7 from the judges! Chatty’s conversion drew the two sides level at 24 v 24 with only 10 minutes left on the clock. With Alcester still a man down, OCs targeted the open spaces out wide once again and it was the enterprising Sri Lankan, Chatty Senavirathne, who’s dancing footwork gave George Curtis the half a yard that the strong-running centre needed to power over the line. Chatty slotted home a tough conversion to cap a much-improved all round performance from the fly half.
With only 5 minutes left on the clock, Alcester threw the proverbial kitchen sink at the OCs defence. They created one final opening chance as their replacement scrum half darted clear through the OCs defence, only to be stopped 2m short of the line by a blinding tackle from winger Ayuk Takang – ultimately saving the day for the home side. With just 30 seconds left on the clock, and Alcester pressing hard inside the OCs 22, George Curtis looked to have stolen the ball at the ruck. But the referee felt that he had infringed and gave him a head-scratching yellow card. Alcester just couldn’t find a way through the impregnable OCs defence and the whistle blew for the end of the game – much to the relief of the players, the coaches and the home crowd – who were once again treated to a fantastic game of rugby from both sides.
The bonus point win takes OCs above Alcester in the league table and into second place and capped an impressive run of form over recent weeks from the OCs players. Having returned to his boyhood club only a few months ago, Alex Kelly has definitely settled back in, having an outstanding game in both attack and particularly in defence. He is forging an impressive partnership with the ever solid George Curtis. With both wingers scoring tries again this week, OCs look like a side whose 15-man style of rugby could push them in to contention for promotion in the final two months of the season.
Full-time score: Old Coventrians 31 v 24 Alcester
