Church Up And Running In "Tournament"

It’s still a bit unclear who is competing in this “competition”, but tonight’s opponents most certainly look to be in it for the long haul.

Both sides have played a fixture in the round-robin but both count for nothing as their respective opponents have both subsequently withdrawn. So, so far, it is only Bromsgrove’s 3-1 win over Redditch that actually counts.

Whether it actually reaches a conclusion is anyone’s guess!

As to the game itself, it began and ended at a great tempo.
Redditch had the better of the opening exchanges, and had three good sights of goal, including a demand for a full-stretch save from Church keeper Taylor to deny Sweeney being the highlight.

But it was Church who struck first, with their first real assault on the home goal. A deft through ball, and Hamilton was through one on one, and he confidently steered the ball around Boucher into the far corner for an opening goal.

One became two on 25 minutes when Church won a free kick twenty yards out. James Spray stepped up to despatch the free kick high into the top corner, with Boucher’s touch unable to prevent the net bulging.

Half Time: Redditch United 0 Alvechurch 2

The second half belonged to the home side but Church adequately contained the threat until the last quarter hour. Redditch had turned up the heat a little as Church battled to hold onto their two goal cushion. Taylor came into his own in this period, and was the key difference between the two sides as the Reds looked the more likely to succeed despite trailing by two goals. He was beaten on 78 minutes by a twenty yard effort from Clement that curled into the top left hand corner, but to keep the rejuvenated Reds at bay he pulled off a great save low to his left on 85 to deny Hart from a free kick, and also did well to block the follow up effort from close range.

Another blocking save from Taylor in stoppage time denied Horton who had rampaged forward on the overlap before unleashing an angled drive from inside the box, and there was no way through in the time remaining for an equaliser so condemning Redditch to a second defeat in this evolving competition.