Church faced up against Coventry City’s U21s in a last chance for silverware this season. Lining up for the opposition are two players who were on Church’s teamsheet just days before – loanees Abel Alabi and Aidan Finnegan – who start for their parent club in this game.

Alvechurch: Jezeph, Dugmore (Burton 66), Cassidy, Neto-Teixeira, Williams, Carter, Abbey, Edge (Hamilton 66), Concannon, Soule, Waldron subs not used : Randle, Taylor, Ngbeken

Coventry City: Bell, Eghosa (Burroughs 86), Batanwi, Alabi, Lusala, Perry, Rus, Finnegan, Obikwu, Cashman (Bapaga 82), Nee subs not used: Rachel, Costello, Stretton

For the second year running Church fall at the semi final stage of the Birmingham Senior Cup.
Every round in this season’s competition had seen Church go through on penalties, and the Lye Meadow side were so close to taking this latest tie to spot kicks as they launched a comeback in the last twenty minutes of the game after effectively handing the game to their hosts in the first few minutes of the second half.

Church trailed 0-1 at the break after conceding a goal on 4 minutes, but matched their professional opponents to the break, and also had arguably the best chance to add to the scoring when a shot by Danny Waldron on 28 minutes was touched at full stretch by keeper Bell onto his own bar before the danger was scrambled away. This came during Church’s best spell of the game, which was played by the hosts at a furious pace.

Coventry had taken the lead early on after a flowing move down the left flank with Batanwi exchanging a one two with Obikwu before firing past Jezeph from close range.

Half Time: Coventry City 1 Alvechurch 0

The second half began in calamitous circumstances for Church.

On 47 minutes, a hopeful lob of the ball into the Church box, a misjudgement by Carter who gets under the ball, and it drops perfectly for Obikwu for an easy finish from eight yards.
Bad got worse just a minute later, and a poor back pass from Dugmore left Williams in no-man’s land, and Cashman darted in to take control and sweep the ball past the hapless Jezeph for another gift of a goal.

So, after being well in the game at the break, just three minutes into the second half it looks all over for Church.

There was better to come from Church, and on 55 minutes Waldron was put through courtesy of a wayward pass, and his drive on the run is tipped over the bar by Bell.

Church found new belief as the half wore on, and dominated the final quarter of the game as Coventry were pressed back towards their own goal. On 73 minutes Church recycle a corner, and Cassidy delivers the ball back into the box to find Soule who fires confidently across the face of goal into the far corner to five the visitors a lifeline.

Immediately after, another corner is recycled, and another close range effort is beaten away by Bell.

Church pressured the Coventry box on a number of occasions following, and it paid off on 89 minutes when Jamie Soule was fouled in the box, and a penalty was awarded. Two yellows for Coventry in the aftermath as players crowded the penalty spot.
But Waldron kept his nerve and coolly converted with Bell going the wrong way. Game on!

Seven minutes of stoppage time was displayed on the board. Coventry determinedly tried to run the clock down. Church are now remarkably pressing for an equaliser, and a Concannon effort is deflected just wide of the far post as the home side struggle to clear their lines.

But another penalty shoot out was not to be. A gallant effort to recover a seemingly hopeless situation, and Church came within a whisker of pulling it off. If only….