Late, Late Show Rescues Church A Deserved Point

Alvechurch : Foster, Dugmore, Dyer, Mitchell, Ofosu, Patterson, Cassidy (McLeod 61), Dawkins, Taylor (Sweeney 46), Clayton-Phillips, Gordon (Batchelor 85) subs not used: Hallahan, Concannon

Barwell : Evans, Flanagan, Edwards, Kerr, Rowley (Kamara 80), Ward, Enoru, Hill, Charles (Davidson-Miller 71). Hickey, Chong (Nunn 58) subs not used: Henry, Akinwe

Church produced what was probably the best forty five minutes performance of recent times to turn around this game after falling two goals behind in the first half.

Church enjoyed the better of the early possession, but it was the home side who carved out three half chances in the opening quarter of the game, but all were blazed well over.

But a first real effort on target on 22 minutes brought the first breakthrough. Barwell’s Hill drives low and hard on target, and despite what looks like a strong hand from Foster the ball finds a way through to goal to give the home side the lead.

Hesitant defending on 41 minutes worsened the afternoon for Church when Hill tracked to the bye-line, cuts the ball back across the box to find Chong, whose effort is blocked, but Charles makes no mistake in steering in a second effort from 15 yards.

It was a big blow for Church, being two down before the break but not having played that badly.

It needed a significant turnaround, and so we got it. Starting in first half stoppage time, Church came to life with firstly Dyer lashing the ball against the underside of the bar from the edge of the box before the ball was scrambled clear. But better was to come as the ball was again delivered into the heart of the Barwell box, and Clayton-Phillips had his legs removed from under him right in front of goal. Gordon confidently dispatched the penalty to put a completely different complexion on the scoreline at the break.

Half Time : Barwell 2 Alvechurch 1

Dan Sweeney replaced Mikey Taylor at the break, and the striker made an immediate impression with an injection of new energy in the attacking third. And so Church begin the second period on the front foot, with Clayton-Phillips driving across the face of the goal but no one was on hand to apply a decisive touch into the gaping net.
Church look a different side, and it is apparent that the next goal in this game will be telling.
On the hour mark, Dugmore drives on target with an angled shot after a good flowing move, and ten minutes later a good run and shot from McLeod is not far over as Church are laying siege to the Barwell goal.

Ten minutes to go, and Sweeney has a good chance when he heads just over a Clayton-Phillips corner. There is only one team in this, but can the visitors find a breakthrough in time?

It’s now deep in stoppage time, and one last chance as Dugmore curls a cross to the far post, begging for a Church player to be on the end of it, and so it proved as Sweeney connects and slams the ball into the roof of the net for a thoroughly deserved equaliser.