Flat Performance After FA Cup High

Alvechurch: Jezeph, Cassidy, Sephton (Burton 46), Neto-Teixeira (Hamilton 62), Willets, Carter, Abbey, Edge, Brown, Concannon, Waldron subs not used: Behan, Williams, Taylor

Kings Langley: Al-Droubi, Case, Lafleaur, Mulley, Okoye-Ahaneku, Johnson, Gill (Tajbakhsh.A 66), Gardner-Smith, Wadkins (Keller 81), De Carvalho, Parkes (Tajbakhsh.N 33) subs not used: Berman, Dunbar-Bonnie

An eclectic ground, a fine autumn afternoon, a home team in really poor form, and an away team on the back of the high generated by an FA Cup triumph the week before – all set up for a ding-dong performance and three point haul.
Don’t you believe it. A dour opening forty-five minutes belied the potential this game had to spur Church’s league form back on track after the recent distractions of Trophy and Challenge Cup progress.

Wayward passing, low energy attacking and sloppy possession were all contributing to a poor quality fare, brightened only by one memorable moment, as early as the 8th minute, when home player Parkes lofted the ball into the unguarded Alvechurch net from well inside his own half after he spotted keeper Jezeph some 20 yards off his line after Church lost possession in midfield.

There was little else to warm the hearts or the hands of the modest crowd as both sides laboured to find another spark to ignite proceedings.

There were half chances. On 13 minutes, Gill fired just wide from 20 yards after Aurio was dispossessed, and Church were on the back foot for a spell. Three minutes later Parkes forced Jezeph into a full stretch save to deal with a free kick from just outside the box.

There were 19 minutes on the clock before Church carved out their first real opening after Waldron jinxed into the box, but from a good position he fired a shot across the face of the goal and wide of the far post.

Just before the half hour, after the ball was given away again in front of the Church back four, De Carvalho gains the ball in a good position, and his angled drive was beaten away by Jezeph to keep the deficit at one.

On 36 minutes, the best chance of the half for Church when Abbey beat two players in a strong run towards the home goal before forcing a good save from Al-Droubi, and the follow up effort was also saved before the assistant’s flag intervened.

Half Time: Kings Langley 1 Alvechurch 0

The second half was somewhat more frenetic, and at times chaotic, with both sides and benches becoming increasingly frustrated with some of the decision making.
Church replaced Sephton with Burton at the break, and soon brought on extra attacking force with the return of Hamilton, who replaced Aurio around the hour mark.
A moment of high contention came on 66 minutes when substitute Noyan Tajbakhsh was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, seemingly for simulation, and Church were given a possible lifeline as the home side were forced to reorganise in order to protect their lead.
And this pretty much became the flavour of the last twenty five minutes or do, and Church looked to find a way through the massed defensive ranks. It was firstly a question of if, and then when.

The pick of the chances: on 74 minutes Hamilton had an effort blocked, and the follow up effort from Concannon was cleared off the line. Much better from Church, but it was definitely a battle of attrition, and the winner was still uncertain.
Hamilton had another sight of goal on 83, and this time his shot gets through but just clears the bar.

The home side were slowing the game down at every opportunity, and keeper Al-Droudi was yellow carded as he pushed the referee’s patience too far, and then he made a much more positive contribution on 86 minutes when he had to save well to deny Concannon after Hamilton had squared the ball across the face of goal.

But just a minute later, Concannon turns provider when his corner to the back post is powered in by skipper Willets to at last break the second half deadlock.
There was a feisty end to the game as Church pressed for an unlikely winner, but the points had to be shared – a draw that extends Church’s unbeaten run to four in all competitions, and breaks the home side’s recent league losing run.