It's a First Home Defeat in 2024

Halesowen were one of the two sides that Church had yet to meet this season – the other St Ives Town are visiting four days later – with this first league encounter since our shared West Midland League days taking place at the third attempt.

Halesowen are in a poor vein of form – having lost seven of the last none – and have recently changed their manager in an attempt to resurrect their season which had earlier on promised so much.

Church were unbeaten in 2024, with their uplift in form threatening to see them overtake their Black Country rivals in the league table if they secured a win in this game.

An essentially even first half ended goalless as both sides failed to create enough of an opening to punish their opponent.
Best chance for Church fell to Allen-Hadley on 34 minutes when Sturridge picked up possession in the centre circle following a weak clearance, and after tracking forward fed the former, but failing to connect well the resulting shot is blocked away by a covering defender.

On 42 minutes, Church keeper Hollingshead is finally called into serious action when he intervenes one on one with Okafor and blocks well at the xpense of a corner.

Half Time: Alvechurch 0 Halesowen Town 0

The fate of the game ultimately swung on two quick fire strikes for the visitors in four minutes just after the hour mark.

Halesowen were looking lively for a few minutes now, and on 63 the ball falls kindly for Okafor just inside the box, and he stabs the ball into the net off the inside of the post. It was a blow for Church, considering that the home side had not really carved out a gilt edged opportunity of their own, and it became doubly worse on 67 minutes when a short corner from the Church right resulted in the ball being angled into the heart of the Church box, and Boothe glanced a header into the far corner to totally deflate the home contingent.

Church toiled away for a way back into the game, and a double chance on 77 for Clayton-Phillips saw a first effort blocked and a second curled just over, but the breakthrough just will not come.