Pinley 15 Alcester 39

Alcester recorded a vital win to leap-frog their opponents and place survival at this level firmly back in their own hands.

The visitors started well and were in front inside five minutes when prop Steve Lunn crashed over from the back of a driving maul after skipper Nick O'Connor took a clean take in the middle of the line-out.

Alcester were handed other chances as their hosts struggled to settle and gave away a string of early penalties. Prop Matt Bolton converted one such opportunity in now trademark style, punting over from 30 yards via an upright.

With Alcester completely on top, especially at the line-out where O'Connor and fellow jumper Andy Flynn dominated throughout, Pinley struggled for any continuity in possession.

Alcester increased their lead when Flynn pinched a Pinley throw allowing scrum-half Ollie Chester to set his backs loose and centre Brett Allard showed great strength to force his way over. Chester added the extra points.

Both sides were reduced to 14 men for a 10-minute spell in the run up to half time. First the home tight head prop was binned for hauling down a drive from the visiting pack after another clean line-out take. He was followed to the touchline by Alcester's Keith Beech who collected a yellow for persistent infringement at the ruck.

It was the home side that coped better with this disruption and they enjoyed their best spell of the game, adding 10 points before the break with a try from their big no 8 and a conversion and penalty from their full-back.

With Alcester leading 15-10 at half-time, both sides knew the first score of the second half would be crucial and it went the way of the visitors.

The King's Coughton side were awarded a penalty just inside the Pinley '22' and they ran a set move which saw Bolton take the ball on the burst and run in unchallenged under the posts.

To their credit, Pinley raised their game again and, after a period of pressure near the visitors line, their no 8 doubled his tally with another crash over from short range.

Although this pulled Pinley back to within one score, it proved to be their last hurrah as Alcester cut loose in the final 20 minutes.

O'Connor used the opportunity to give Chris Hall a run on the wing for his first appearance for the senior side since October. And he quickly showed the visitors what they had been missing.

The Alcester pack shunted their opponents off the ball at a Pinley put-in at a scrum which set their backs free once more. The ball found its way to Hall wide out left and he finished in clinical fashion, despite still having plenty to do when he received it.

Alcester's fifth try came after an error in the home defence which gave John Dover a clear run to the line.

The scoring was complete when substitute Hall produced another smart finish for his second try. Chester added two of the conversions.

Three of our sides are involved in vital league games this weekend.

Redditch entertain Handsworth in North Midlands One (South) with Kings Norton heading to Bredon Star in the same league.

Alcester play host to Dunlop for the second time in three weeks.