Church Suffer Suffolk Sucker Punch

Ultimately a disappointing day out in Suffolk, and a whole panoply of weather conditions that seemed to provide appropriate backdrops for what was happening on the pitch.

The game began in bright sunshine, but the first half was largely played out in torrential rain of Biblical proportions – vertical and horizontal rainfall alternated as both sides laboured with the conditions, although it has to be said that the pitch played extremely well throughout.

Alvechurch: Eve, Cassidy, Dyer, Ofusu, Patterson, Dugmore, Hallahan (Evans 70), Chong, Gordon (Allen-Hadley 45), Concannon, George subs not used: Lamb
Needham: Garnham, Dye, Smith, Hammond, Morphew.K, Morphew.D, Page (Williams 70), Lay (Carroll-Chambers 75), Allen, McGrath (Fraser 86), Harris subs not used: Ingram

There were few key moments in this rain affected first half.
The best for Church was on the quarter hour mark when an angled drive from the busy Gordon had been well saved by keeper Garnham low to his left. Church had been able, through Cassidy, to get dangerous balls into the box on a couple of occasions already without troubling Garnham, but this latest effort proved to be as close as Church would come before the break. There was a good sight of goal for Hallahan on 37 minutes after he was fed the ball by Dyer, but his effort from 20 yards out was poor and well off target.

The worst for Church was a driving run up the centre of the pitch by Allen, and a deflected cross from Dye on 19 minutes that nicked off a defender and looped over Eve into the far corner of the Church net to give Needham the lead.

Church lost Gordon to injury just before the break to add to their woes.

Half Time: Needham Market 1 Alvechurch 0

The atmospheric conditions brightened significantly as the second half began, and so did Church’s prospects in the game. Church certainly had the better of the second forty-five minutes.

The most significant chance for an equaliser came on 78 minutes when Garnham pulled off an amazing point blank save to deny George after a cross from Concannon had been flicked on by Chong. From the resulting back post corner Ofosu heads the ball back into the six yard box and Concannon stabs the ball just wide .
Church are dominating the possession at this stage, and another Cassidy cross flashes across the face of the goal just begging for a touch.

The seven minutes of stoppage time signalled brings some more hope, but Needham manage the clock well near the Church corner flag, and then produce a coup de grace as the ball is worked along the Church by-line and fed to Allen who turns the ball in from very close range.