By George, As Church Prove That Nine Can Be Better Than Eleven!

Church return from Stamford with all three points even though they finished the game with only nine men after Jack Hallahan and Abel Alabi saw red in the second half.

It’s now four consecutive wins in all competitions and five without defeat as Church move to within three points of the play offs.

Church played nearly 50 minutes with ten men, and then 11 minutes with nine as they hung onto the lead given to them by a calm Adan George goal, scored on the break after 82 minutes.

Stamford peppered the Church goal in the remaining time, but once again the Church troops put their bodies on the line, and aided by a couple of stunning saves by on loan keeper Brad Foster stunned their hosts and partisan home following to inflict on Stamford their first home defeat of the season.

First attempt in the first half came on 10 minutes for the home side as Chitiza flashed an effort across the face of the goal, but well wide. Two minutes later a free kick for Stamford from 25 yards out was angled in by Vince, but just wide of the far post.

The home side were enjoying the better territorial possession, and won a series of corners, and from the latest on 16 minutes Charles crossed to the far post and Chitiza volleys off target from a tight angle.

On 19 another fee kick is delivered into the box by Bartle, and Offler glances a header inches wide of the far post.

Nothing on target to date though, and it was in fact Church who drew first blood in that sense on 26 minutes when a good run from Dyer sets up Dugmore to drive on target, but the effort is taken well low down by keeper Duggan.

Church survived to the break, battling against the wind as well as their opponents, but neither side had done enough to threaten the deadlock.

Half time : Stamford 0 Alvechurch 0

Hallahan’s dismissal just five minutes into the second half should have heralded a change in the pressure being exerted by the home side, but it was in fact Church that then began to enjoy the better chances. The red card inevitably changed the shape of the game, and Church regrouped to defend deeper, allowing the home side to step up a bit more, but also created the space and potential in the Stamford defensive third for Church to exploit on the break.

On the hour mark, a rare but good attacking move from Church saw the visitors move the ball through Taylor to Cassidy, and a square ball across the box eludes the defender running back towards his own goal, but alas also Taylor who had moved into the box looking for the return and a tap in.

Three minutes later a good solo run from George from halfway, beating one, but shooting early before beating a second, and his effort is off target.

Stamford are now moving the ball around from flank to flank trying to stretch the Church defensive lines, but the visitors are looking well organised and calm in their task.

On 70 there is a massive scramble in the Church box, and two efforts are blocked by resolute defending, before Foster saves well from an overhead effort from Morgan before foiling Vince with a point blank save as Church pull out all the stops to keep the scoreline blank.

On 73 minutes George wriggles through again and squeezes a shot off but once again wide of the target. And yet again, just two minutes later the ball is dinked through for the Church front man but he chips the ball just wide of the post when faced with a one on one with Duggan.

But if at first…. 82 minutes on the clock and George again is set free on goal with a delicious ball from Concannon, and this time he capitalises to the full, rounding Duggan and slotting into an empty net to give Church an unlikely but deserved lead.

The task of holding onto what they had so doggedly won, Church were dealt a body blow with just two minutes of stoppage time remaining when Abel Alabi received his marching orders.

More blocks to come as the nine men hung on. Ofosu blocks at close range, and Foster tips over a dipping drive as Church baton down the hatches to negotiate the nine minutes of stoppage time and secure a win that was so in keeping with the character that the team has shown in adversity in the last couple of weeks.