Church welcomed Racing Club Warwick to Lye Meadow for the second time in three weeks and produced the same outcome – winning this time in the FA Cup to book a place in the 3rd Qualifying Round for the fifth time since 2017/18.

Racing Club looked a more composed outfit this time out after a rather toothless display in the recent league loss and actually began this tie on the front foot.

On 3 minutes a quickly taken free kick from deep releases Collins down the left flank, and the Warwick wide man bears down on goal before driving a shot across Evans and cannoning off the far post.

Church gradually settle, and on 6 minutes Ngandu has a shot blocked after good hold up play from Okafor on the edge of the Warwick box.
But the visitors are giving as good as they are getting, and Collins is proving to be a good outlet, and one that Church are having to watch carefully.

On 14 minutes keeper Allsopp saves at the feet of Okafor on the edge of the box after the Church front man had burst through on goal, but it was a temporary respite as two minutes later the home side broke the deadlock. A great move up the pitch by Church eventually sees Ngandu play the ball back into the heart of the area from the by-line, and Nick Clayton-Phillips is well placed to sweep the ball into the far corner from ten yards.

Church are now on top, and on 23 minutes double their lead. Ben Stephens slips the ball through on the blind side of a defender to find Miracle Okafor behind the back four, bearing down on goal, and after holding off a late challenge he deftly slots the ball past Allsopp from the edge of the box to open up a two-goal margin.

Evans is not idle in the Church goal, and he has to be alert just after the half hour mark to pull off an excellent reflex save to tip over a close range headed effort from Cooney.

Church looked to be comfortably seeing the game out to the break when Warwick produced a sucker punch, two minutes into first half stoppage time. Walker tracks successfully to the byline before sweeping the ball across the face of the Church goal, and Hamp stabs the ball in from close range despite being outnumbered in the box. It is a goal from nowhere really and is a definite lifeline for the visitors who had been well marshalled in the game up to that point.

Half Time: Alvechurch 2 Racing club Warwick 1

Church dominate possession once more at the beginning of the second half, but the visitors respond with a period of pressure of their own, with the home defence having to be on their toes to repel a series of low crosses into the heart of the box.

In terms of clear-cut chances, the game has become a bit bland and shapeless, with the inevitable clutch of substitutions disrupting the flow of the game somewhat.
In that time Warwick have played their way into the game and Church have lost their hold on the tie, seemingly defending much deeper as a team in the process.

The one piece of quality sees Church settle the tie with twelve minutes to go. From the left back position Sullivan delivers the ball over the top into space for Kieran Wakefield to run onto and the Church substitute exudes composure as he holds off the defender and slots past Allsopp into the far corner to restore the two-goal advantage.

There is no way back for Warwick this time , although Evans is in action again in stoppage time to tip over a volleyed effort from the edge of the box in the last action of the game. The next round beckons.