"Just like the good old days!"

The magic of the FA Cup returned to Lye Meadow s Kidderminster Harriers visited in this 2nd Qualifying Round tie, and a penalty shootout win left many diehard Church fans muttering “just like the good old days”.

Alvechurch: Brown, Birch.M (Marselia 90+3), Sephton, Daley (Birch,J 76), Hull, Willets, Brown-Hill, Botfield, Wakeling Cook, Monteiro
Subs not used: Hill, Maher, Lloyd, Hamilton

Kidderminster Harriers: Simpson, Penny, Richards, Lowe, Montrose, Austin (Martin 81), Morgan-Smith, Hemmings, Sterling-James, Taylor, Prosser
Subs not used: Tolley, Palmer, Freemantle, Arthur, White, Taylor

Storm Alex was still making its mark on this game day producing conditions that promised a less than straightforward afternoon in store for defence and goalkeepers in particular.

It was Harriers’ first competitive game of the season, but Church are well into theirs, albeit with five changes on the teamsheet compared to Tuesday’s Stratford starting eleven – Brown back in goal, Sephton at left back in place of Sauane, Daley in for Jack Birch. Brown-Hill in to replace the injured Bellis, and Cook returns up front to replace Hamilton who drops to the bench.

But a proper cup-tie broke out, with both sides giving no quarter in a full-bloodied encounter on a sodden pitch.
And Church gave it a real shot in the arm with an early goal, well-crafted, and excellently executed from back to front. Great interplay between Sephton and Monteiro in centre field. Monteiro releases Wakeling down the left flank, and his pace gets him in position to drill an inviting ball across the face of the Kidderminster goal, and Cook is on hand, at a stretch, to divert the ball in at the far post to give Church the precious 3rd minute opening goal.

Church were on the front foot. A Botfield free kick, floated into the box caused keeper Simpson all sorts of problems – and he fumbles the ball, scrabbling on the ground to gather the ball before anyone can take advantage.

Harriers threaten aplenty from set pieces, and Church have to dig deep to repel a series of corners and other balls swung into the box, but the home defence is well marshalled, and weight of numbers look to be winning the day. At least for now.

Harriers win a debatable free kick on the corner of the box after a quarter of an hour as the ball seems to be cleanly won, and as Hemmings swings in another dangerous ball, Brown elects to punch, and Willets completes the tidy up. Another chance for the visitors two minutes later following another well defended corner, and this time Sterling-James curls a shot through a crowded box and just wide of the far post of the Church goal.

But Harriers’ persistence paid off on 26 minutes when a diagonal ball to the back post found Sephton wrong side of his man, and Austin was well placed to steer the ball in past Brown at the far post. The pressure had been building, and on the balance of play probably deserved.

Where Harriers were happy to plant the ball into the box at every opportunity, Church had to be more circumspect, but were finding openings with the clever possession play of Monteiro, Cook, and Wakeling in particular. And it was Wakeling on 29 minutes who almost stole a second for Church when he wriggled through to find himself just outside the six yard box, but he had the ball poked off the toe of his boot by Lowe at the vital moment before he could get a shot off.

A great first half of the cup tie successfully negotiated with the scores level at the break. Church now had the slope in their favour for the second period, and the game was still anyone’s for the taking.

Half Time: Alvechurch 1 Kidderminster Harriers 1

The second half followed a similar pattern, and Church continued to defend resolutely in the atrocious conditions. But it was the first real attempt on goal that the hosts re-took the lead on 56 minutes. A Botfield free kick from wide left was glanced in by Hull deep in the visiting box, and just past the despairing dive of Simpson to nestle low into the corner of the Kidderminster net.

Another attempt on target for Church on 65 minutes when Wakeling produced a low shot from distance forcing Simpson to save low down.

At the other a minute later end Harriers could have equalised when Austin found himself through on goal with only Brown facing him, but the Church keeper produced a brave potentially game winning save as he closed the Kidderminster player down and blocked the ball away to safety.

But Harriers did find an equaliser, and in all honesty it came out of nothing. An innocuous ball across the face of the Church box, and as it just eludes the last Church man Hemmings finds himself in possession with a clear sight of goal, and he finishes well with a low shot past Brown from just inside the area.

The game becomes a bit disjointed for a while with a series of substitutions and the flow of play is often interrupted with infringements partly caused to the wet conditions. But there was no diminution in Church’s resolve, and the defence always found a way on each and every occasion to repel the danger.

And so straight to penalties.

Full Time : (90 mins) Alvechurch 2 Kidderminster Harriers 2

Penalty Shootout:

1-0 Kidderminster Prosser send Brown wrong way
1-1 Wakeling send Simpson wrong way
2-1 Kidderminster Hemmings sends Brown wrong way
2-2 Cook confidently side-foots in
2-2 Morgan-Smith blazes over the bar
3-2 Church Marselia fires in (first touch of game?)
3-2 Church Martin fires over the bar, leaving Botfield to potentially score the winner
4-2 Church Which he does!