ALCESTER RFC surrendered a 22-point first-half lead in an agonising 36-35 defeat away at Old Coventrians.
Tries from Ieuan Hopkin, Jamie Clarke, Mark Burrell and Dwayne Cruickshank saw Alcester race into a 22-point lead only for Old Coventrians to hit back with two tries of their own before the break.
Alcester remained in front courtesy of Louis Smith’s try before reclaiming the lead late on when Hopkin dotted down his second try of the game.
However, Old Coventrians won a penalty from the restart and successfully kicked the ball between the posts to deny Alcester at the death at Tile Hill Lane.
The result means Alcester sit sixth in the Counties 1 Midlands West (South) table.
Alcester opened the scoring on 10 minutes when Hopkin bulldozed his way through and crashed over the line.
And the visitors struck again when Clarke gathered Alex Chiles’s kick ahead, after the ball looped into the air off the boot of the opposing full-back, and ran in unopposed.
Alcester stretched their lead soon after as Burrell marked his return from a fractured jaw with a try after sprinting clear down the wing before Cruickshank scored the away side’s bonus point try.
However, Old Coventrians responded with two quickfire tries before the break to keep themselves in the contest.
The home side added their third try shortly after half time only for Alcester to score again through Smith.
Old Coventrians reduced the deficit to a single point with their bonus point try before Alcester missed a penalty and the home side took advantage to take the lead for the first time.
The visitors looked to have won the game when Hopkin scored his second try in the final few minutes only for Old Coventrians to claim the points with a penalty kick shortly after the restart.
Alcester are next in action at home to Ledbury on Saturday, January 27 with kick-off at 2.15pm at Kings Coughton.
