Last Minute Equaliser and Penalty Win Sees Church Advance

A filthy night weatherwise, doubts about the playability of the pitch, a rain delay, eleven changes to the stating ,line-up from the weekend, academy debuts, and a fair degree of familiarity with the opposition.

Alvechurch: Behan (Randle 69), Cassidy (Beeson 69), Angelides, Jones, Williams (Dinsley 69), Patterson, Taylor, Hallahan, Brown (Spence 69), Ngbeken, Spiers (Olaloko 52).

Church found themselves two behind at the break. Firstly on 14 minutes Behan blocks a through ball from the visitors, but it falls invitingly to the feet of Pearson who strokes the ball into an unguarded net. It was 2-0 after 21 minutes when Gill slipped the ball through the heart of the Church defence, and Mardenborough latched onto the pass and shot well past Behan from the edge of the box. Church rallied

in the second half and found two goals of their own to bring the tie level. Just four minutes in Leo Brown found a smart finish , with a turn and shot deep inside the Darlaston box, finding the bottom corner with aplomb. Church left it late for the second with Pater Taylor latching onto a loose ball deep in midfield and rifling it low into the visiting net, seemingly catching everyone napping.

And so to penalties:

Fourteen excellent penalties followed, with Hallahan, Beeson, Olaloko, Ngbeken, Jones, Angelides, Spence and Taylor all converting with confidence.. Darlaston defender Podmore stepped up for the 15th spot kick of the night, and blazed over the bar to give Church an 8-7 win on penalties.