Struggling Tipton Make a Point

Alvechurch: Rostill, Roberts, Xavier, Morrison, Race, Adams, Carter, McGrath, Evans, Nicol, Shearer.
Subs not used: Cresswell, Edwards, Wakeman, Wiliams, Cosgrave

Tipton: Martin, Duffield, Evitts, Linton, Henley, Bate, Fox, Griffiths, Pugh, Ganderton, Radiane
subs: She[herd, Moore, Pangne, Pugh, James

After Tuesday's battling display at Shepshed, red-card victim Jack Cresswell dropped to the bench and Luke Shearer made a starting appearance. Jesse Race resumed his central defensive position, with Aaron Roberts moving back to right back, edging James Cosgrave onto the bench. Tuesday's goalkeeper Ash Malhotra is injured, and striking stalwart Keith Rostill returns to take his no. 1 shirt.

Normally a difficult venue for a result, Church gained a comfortable point but will be disappointed it was not three in this latest encounter.

The visitors will rue a missed penalty that would have equalised Tipton’s 10th minute opener, but the leveller arrived anyway before the break, and any one of a clutch of chances in the second should have brought a deserved winner.
A really slow start for Church who put nothing of note together in the opening quarter hour, during which Tipton took the lead.

A scrappy start, but Tipton scored from the first threat created by either side. Radiane won a corner trying to jink through the Church defence, and Henley converted the inswinging set piece from close range with a header from inside the six yard box.

Gareth Evans had a perfectly good chance to equalise on 16 when he out-muscled Henley to latch onto a through ball from Morrison, but the whistle blew with him through on goal, and his effort was ruled out.

Andy Nicol brought keeper Martin into action on 22 when a great run down the left by Evans resulted in a cross and header that forced the home number one to tip over at full stretch.

A rare chance for the home side on 23 when a poor clearance by Race was set upon by Ganderton, but his effort towards the top left hand corner was clawed away by Rostill, showing a safe pair of hands.

A great chance for an equaliser on 28 when Adams was fouled just inside the Tipton box, but Gareth Evans’ spot kick, although well struck, was beaten away by Martin who had guessed correctly and dived smartly to keep the spot kick out.

Church still pressed, and looked the more likely of the two sides to score the next goal. A curling free kick from McGrath on 31 found Adams unmarked at the far post, but his downward header was wide of the target. But it was looking better from the visitors.
Just after McGrath fizzed in a shot from 25 yards after being set up by a square pass from Carter, but again, just wide of the target.

And the pressure finally told on 43 minutes when a great break from Evans to latch onto a McGrath pass allowed the front man to pick out an intelligent pass to Luke Shearer who dispatched a side-footed shot low into the corner from 20 yards for a deserved equaliser.

The second half was characterised by Church looking for a likely winner, but alas it never quite came. After Rostill was called into action on 47 to tip over a curling shot from Radiane, it was typically one-way traffic as Church pressed down both flanks trying to unlock what at times looked like a heavy-legged defence. A golden chance on 55 when Shearer sent a bullet header just wide, and the same player pulled a shot wide on 58 after great interplay down the right and across the face of the box.

A shot on target by McGrath after a mazy run, but insufficient power to bear Martin, and a flashing drive by Evans on 82, again just wide with Martin at full stretch. And on 83 an acrobatic goal saving effort from Martin to beat away a rasping drive from Evans again kept the scores level, and a welcome point from the home side who had been suffering a little this season.