Double Trouble for Church as They Register a Second Defeat in a Week.

Double Trouble for Church as they register second defeat in a week.

Alvechurch: Hollingshead, Dugmore, Cassidy. Mitchell, Crowther, Ofosu, Allen-Hadley (Sturridge 31), Hallahan (Brown 68), Gordon (Reka 88), Clayton-Phillips, Dawkins subs not used: Dyer, Patterson

St Ives : Bentley, Harris, Smith, Richens, Williams, Hutchings, Cowling, Hotter (Kaziboni 63) Edwards, Alexandrou (Kaunda 78), Tomlinson subs not used: Casey

Despite taking a deserved lead after 28 minutes, Church were unable to quash their visitors’ resolve, and St Ives stormed back to level before the break and take total control of the scoreline in the second half.

On 10 minutes Mitchell flashes a shot inches wide from 25 yards after a well-played advantage played by the referee as Church carved out the first clear cut chance of the game.

The visitors responded by creating a goalmouth scramble on the quarter hour that needed an acrobatic goal-line clearance from Dugmore to preserve the clean sheet for Church.

A largely even game swung in Church’s favour on 28 minuntes when Clayton-Phillips created a chance for himself, tracking in field from the left flank with the ball before unleashing an unstoppable effort on target, beating keeper Bentley to his left, with the ball arrowing off the inside of the post into the back of the net.

Little much to bother either keeper for a spell until St Ives profited from an Edwards free kick delivered from wide left that bounced just outside the six yard box, in front of Hollingshead and straight into the far corner without any further touches administered.

Half Time : Alvechurch 1 St Ives 1

A good start to the second half for Church and an early chance on 54 when a miskicked clearance from Bentley is almost punished by Gordon, but his long range effort from inside the centre circle drifts just wide of the open goal with the keeper nervously backtracking.
But this is as good as it got for Church, as on 61 minutes Richens robs Cassidy near the half way line on left flank, and the ball is worked across the face of the box to set up Edwards who returns it low into opposite corner from edge of box to put St Ives ahead.

Worse was to follow on 72 minutes when Richens steers the ball against the Church bar as the homesite struggle to clear the decks, and the follow up effort results in s free kick for handball just outside box. Richens again proves his worth as he drills the free kick in through the wall to put decisive daylight between the two sides.

Two minutes later Richens goes close again after good run from Alexandrou, but the ball curls just wide of the angle of the goal.

There was to be no dramatic comeback for Church though, and the game was over on 86 minutes after good footwork from St Ives the left flank, three challenges were evaded, and the loose ball in box was turned in from close range by Hutchings.