Alvechurch Women kept up the pace at the top of the league with their 12th win of the 2023/2024 season in the West Midlands Regional Women's League against a fellow title-chasing side.

THE TEAM NEWS:
Ben Davis stuck with his team selection at The Hayes meaning the unbeaten Church side were unchanged for the first time this season. The changes to the subs saw Rhianna Medar drop out due to injury and Jess Shepherdson unavailable but still a strong bench to call upon that saw; Frankie Regan, Mia Dolan, Jessica Wallace, and Billie Kelly.

THE MATCH: HOW THE DRAMA UNFOLDED...
Church' first-ever season at this level saw them come into today's game eight points clear at the top and looking to maintain that gap against a side that caused the hosts problems in the away game (1-1) and probably fortunate to walk away with a point that day.

But, the Church machine didn't take long to get moving as just 13 minutes on the clock, the home side broke the deadlock. Charlotte Leedham on the right-hand side skipped past the challenge in-front of her before drilling a low ball into the area that saw Molly Hicks get on the end of it to touch it over the line (or was it an own goal?)... either way, the home side led!

The pressure didn't calm after that as Church looked in the mood to maintain their perfect form and make it seven wins in a row. Two chances in a three-minute span should have seen the hosts double the lead. The first chance fell to the influential Katie Jamieson, who saw her effort blocked in the middle before Imogen Butler brought the ball down at the far post, swivelling on the ball and striking but the strike went wide.

Could the home side make their pressure count?

On 36 minutes, Church had a great chance to make it two. Beth Cull picked out a cross to Hicks, who was brave to go up for the header but saw the keeper get a hand on it to push it wide. However, not too far wide, as Leedham raced onto it and looked for the cut-back but no-one in yellow anticipating.

Two minutes later, the frustration was growing as we had the ball in the net but the offside flag went up to deny Leedham. Furthermore, on the stroke of half-time, Cull whipped in a brilliant corner kick seeing three Church players in the middle all jump for it but the ball landed on the wrong side of the post somehow leaving the game in the balance.

HALF-TIME: ALVECHURCH 1-0 LEAMINGTON

A dominant first-half display would need to be followed up with the same in the second, but little did we know how ruthless the second half would be...

Just eight minutes into the second period, the home side had their all-important second goal of the encounter. Nicola Pludra delivered a ball to the back post causing all sorts of problems for the away defence. The header only fell as far as Alisha Sheridan on the edge of the box and she rifled an effort back in which squeezed into the back of the net as the keeper failed to hold on.

We believed the home side were well and truly in the mood for more...

On 64 minutes, Church were three to the good. Leedham and Sheridan linked up on the right-hand side before the latter received the ball back out wide. Sheridan picked out a wonderful cross to the back post for Hicks to arrive on the scene and smash home!

The score-line began to get even larger just a matter of moments later as Church raced into a four-goal lead. The pick of the bunch, really. Hicks on a hat-trick, of course, had a ball clipped over to her on the far side of the penalty area before unleashing a stunning half-volley finish into the back of the net for her third of the contest.

Chances for Butler, Erin Jordan and Jamieson all were either blocked or went wide in a five-minute spell.

Eventually, the home side truly wrapped up a sensational afternoon as they got their fifth goal of the afternoon and Hicks got her FOURTH! WOW. A teasing cross to the far post allowed Hicks to ghost in and get the touch on it required to take it over the line and cap off a fantastic performance to leave the gap standing at eight points.

FULL-TIME: ALVECHURCH 5-0 LEAMINGTON

A five-star showing from our ladies sees them eight points clear with just four games remaining this season and next up in the league in two weeks' time, it's first vs second as Alvechurch take their unbeaten run and eight-point lead to fellow unbeaten side Redditch Borough, as the two go head-to-head for the first time this season.

However, there is a break from the league next weekend as Church visit league leaders of the Division One North, AFC Telford United Ladies, in the WMWRL Division One Cup.