Points Shared as Both Sides Break Losing Runs

Alvechurch : Foster, Dugmore, Dyer, Hallahan, Ofosu, Patterson, Cassidy, Eubank, Taylor, Concannon (Gordon 61), Rowe (Batchelor 61) subs not used: Reka, Clayton-Phillips, Kindred

Bromsgrove : Taylor, White, O’Hanlon (Lekuti 57), Rowe, Roberts, Solademi, King-Harmes, Dawkins, Hall (Pais 66), Tee, Cooper subs not used: Hewett, Ball, Newell

Both sides came into this game in mixed form, with Church looking to halt a run of four defeats in all competitions, and Sporting having suffered four league defeats on the bounce.

As it happens, points shared, trading a penalty apiece is not a bad result for either. But Church will perhaps rue a missed opportunity as they certainly finished the game stronger after drawing level, and given a few more minutes of action one hypothesises that the visitors looked more likely to come out on top.

Church will have been disappointed to have gone ina goal behind at the break, feeling some grievance at the penalty award on 38 minutes when White went to ground after an innocuous coming together with Dyer as both chased down the ball in the Church box. Tee converted to put the majority of the 792 crowd into good humour at the end of a largely even first half.

The game was open with both sides looking to move the ball forward quickly on a bobbly pitch, and an early chance for Sporting saw a Tee shot from 20 yards fly just wide, and at the other end a great chance for Church when Taylor broke on goal, but delayed pulling the trigger a fraction too long, and was caught in possession on the edge of the box by a last ditch tackle, and the ball was smuggled away.

On 26 minutes a Concannon free kick from 25 yards out was deflected wide by a defender’s head, and Taylor in the Sporting goal was forced into a full stretch save.
At the other end, hesitant defending from Ofosu created an opening for Sporting, and Foster was called upon to beat away a shot from the edge of the box.

Church grew more into the game in the second half, and moved the ball around well in efforts to probe and open the home defence.

The breakthrough took some time, but with 8 minutes remaining Gordon is scythed down just inside the box, the referee plays on, and then Cassidy is also felled as he tries to latch onto the loose ball, and the official is left with no option to point to the spot. Gordon himself took the spot kick, and finished powerfully and confidently to set up a potentially match winning finale.

Church dominate the final minutes, and a couple of half chances unfold, but the visitors are unable to capitalise, and the points are ultimately shared.