Church Looking Up After Decisive Win On The Road

Alvechurch: Hollingshead, Dugmore, Cassidy. Mitchell, Ofosu, Patterson, Allen-Hadley (Crowther 79), Hallahan (Dawkins 56), Gordon, Clayton-Phillips, Sturridge (McLead 70) subs not used: Brown, Batchelor

Long Eaton : Durrant, Betts, Gordon, Keane (Belgrave 22), Cole, Martin, Nyahwema, Wright, Bertram, Rogers, Atwal (Mandjoba 62) subs not used: Spruce. Moore, Cocks

Church registered their second double of the season to put more space between themselves and the bottom three and condemn Long Eaton to their 22nd defeat of the season as they remain rooted in relegation trouble.

The gap from Church to Sudbury who occupy the last relegation place is now twelve points, and perhaps Church should be looking up towards the top half of the table now after steadying the ship since the end of last year.

Church racked up four goals, two in each half, but it could have been significantly more were it not for chances spurned one on one throughout the first half.

But for a brief rally for the home side midway through the second half, a spell that brought them two goals and hopes of a dramatic comeback, Church pulled all the strings, and in the end the three points were comfortably bagged.

Church scored their first goal exactly half way through the first half, but before going ahead had already carved out at least four clear cut opportunities – Hadley robs the last defender and is through one on one as early as the 2nd minute. But keeper Durrant saves with an outstretched boot. On 6 minutes Clayton-Phillips makes space for himself and has an effort from 25 yards which Durrant saves comfortably, and two minutes later a nice defence splitting move gives Hallahan a good sight of goal, but his shot on target is somewhat tame. On 12 minutes a chance for Sturridge, similar to that which had fallen to Hadley, but once again the shot is delivered straight at Durrant.

On 22 minutes a Church corner creates mayhem in the home defence, and Ofusu’s headed effort is blocked, but the Church centre back reacts first to lash the loose ball in from close range to finally deliver the breakthrough.

Just before the half hour Church find a deserved second goal after a great one-two move involving Gordon and Clayton-Phillips, and the former delivers the ball into the box where Patterson is on had to rifle the ball into the net off the underside of the bar.

It could and should have been 3-0 on 37 minutes after another one on one for Sturridge but again the ball is straight at the keeper from close range, and three minutes before the break Sturridge volleys a Dugmore cross just wide as Long Eaton end the half on the back foot.

Half Time : Long Eaton United 0 Alvechurch 2

It takes only six minutes of the second half to pass before the third goal finally arrives. Dugmore feeds the ball inside to Gordon on the edge of the home box. And the Church frontman deftly takes the pass in his stride between two defenders before stabbing the ball past Durrant from the angle to seemingly put the game out of Long Eaton’s reach.

Given that the home side had offered little to date, going three down seemed to spur a response. A double reflex save from Hollingshead was required on 52 minutes to deny Rogers, firstly with a beating away of a shot on the turn and then a close range block to conceded a corner. A flurry of substitutions broke the flow of the game up for a spell, but on 68 minutes the home side pulled a goal back when Mandjoba lashed in from the edge of the area after taking matters into his own hands.
Better was to follow on 77 for the home side when Mandjoba bagged a second on the break, with the substitute sweeping the ball in low to Hollinghead’s right to finish the move off decisively.

Church looked a bit rattled at this point, and defence became a priority, with Crowther replacing Hadley.

But breathing space was restored on 81 minutes when Church restored the two goal lead. McLeod holds the ball up on the left flank, feeds inside to Dawkins, who steadies himself before delivering a low drive into the left hand corner of the Long Eaton net courtesy of the foot of the post.