Stow-on-the-Wold 11, Alchester 22.

A DEPLETED Stow-on-the-Wold line-up put up a valiant performanace against the leaders in the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier Division.

The game was even but Stow’s old habit of getting into the scoring zone and not converting their chances proved to be their downfall.

The first quarter saw Stow on the attack but Alchester’s first visit into the hosts’ 22 resulted in a try.

A penalty was kicked for the corner and the resulting line-out driven over for the opening points.

Stow continued to compete in all areas and were rewarded with a Dan Adams penalty for coming in at the side into a maul.

At the break the game was just in the visitor’s favour, at 5-3.

Alchester eased further ahead with their second try when Stow were caught napping on the blindside following a scrum.

However, a second Adams penalty clawed some ground back for Stow before a missed tackle let another try which was converted.

A skirmish involving most of the players on the field injected a bit more aggression into Stow.

They turned this into points when a quickly-taken penalty ended up with centre James Ford who crashed over in the corner.

The hosts were back in the game and only a try behind. But it was not to be, as with the bonus point in sight Alchester exposed Stow’s blindside again from a scrum to score their fourth try in the corner.

On Saturday, Stow visit Bicester in their latest league clash.