Rugby St Andrews 13 Alcester 17

After trailing 13-0 at the break, Alcester produced their best 40 minutes of rugby of the season to produce a dramatic fightback.

And not only did the King's Coughton side secure two valuable league points but they also record their first back-to-back wins of the campaign.

The manner of the win was sweet revenge after leading 8-0 at half-time in their home game against the same opponents only to be turned over 18-8 at the end.

Alcester were forced into making five personnel and two positional changes from the side that edged out Manor Park in the Warwickshire Shield tie the previous week.

The changes meant the home side struggled for cohesion early on and by the time they had settled, they had already conceded two penalties, the second of which was converted to hand Rugby the lead.

Alcester's superiority at the scrum presented plenty of ball for their backs but most of the good play was too far out to threaten the home line.

The visitors continued to give penalties away and were punished as Rugby crossed the line twice, the second one right on the stroke of half-time, to take a healthy looking lead into the break.

The second half saw fewer penalties and this allowed Alcester more momentum. In addition, the front five were by now well on top in the tight and scrum half Scott Carmichael was his usual combative self in utilising the platform from his pack to take the game to his opponents.

From a penalty award inside the St Andrews half, Carmichael found touch near the line. The line-out found skipper Nick O'Connor and after he was shunted towards the line, loose head prop Darren Stanton dropped over the line for his maiden score for the club and his first try in 15 years. Darren Gwillym added the extra points.

Buoyed by this success Alcester regained possession and once again took play deep in the home side's territory. Rugby were forced into some desperate defence to keep the red and blacks out, and now it was the Rugby side testing the referee's patience with a string of penalties in quick succession.

When the home scrum half deliberately dived into a ruck to kill the ball in a promising position for Alcester, he was shown a yellow card which proved to be the defining moment of the game.

Alcester lost possession from the resulting penalty but then turned over a St Andrews scrum and when the ball shot out at the back, diminutive flanker Keith Beech reacted quickest to pick up and force his way over, bringing his side within a point of Rugby's score.

Five minutes later and Alcester were in front. More pressure from the visiting forwards created space for Carmichael who exploited the absence of his opposite number and raced to the line to score for the third successive game.

To the home side's credit with the numbers restored they came determinedly back at the King's Coughton men and much of the remaining 15 minutes was played inside Alcester's '22'.

The home kicker was having an off day with the boot - just one successful kick from seven attempts - so Rugby elected to run the ball or kick for touch at every penalty opportunity but could find no way through a solid visitors' defence.

Alcester then survived a nervy finale when their hosts looked to have dived over the line only for the home touch judge to show superb sportsmanship by indicating that he had put a foot into touch.

The King's Coughton side play host to third-placed Southam on Saturday keen for a third straight win.