It's A December 26th Derby Day Draw

Alvechurch: Jezeph, Cassidy, Burton (Melbourne 90), Neto-Texeira, Willets, Carter, Abbey, Edge (Hallahan 50), Hamilton, Concannon (Olaluko 86), Waldron subs not used: Randle, Williams

Redditch: Harrison, Osadchyl (Ward 55), Hudson, Flanagan,.C, Wollocatt, Flanagan.R, King, Mensah (Boothe 82), Gregson, Sheaf, Bunn subs not used: Rowbottom, Clews, Smith

Church brought themselves back from the jaws of defeat after being the better side and slipping behind after conceding two soft goals.

The early play sees Church penned in their own half, but Church came to life after winning their first corner on seven minutes. The corner was cleared, but as the ball was returned into the box, Hamilton, in possession, was cleaned out by keeper Harrison – for just the cost of another corner, when seemingly only the man that mattered, the referee, thought that was the correct outcome.

On 13 minutes a chance for Abbey after a through ball was dummied into his path, but his drilled effort was just wide of the post. It was to prove to be merely a sighter for the Church midfielder, as two minutes later a great flowing move – Abbey to Cassidy, and back to Abbey whose first-time finish arrowed low into the right hand corner of the Redditch goal.

The game was face paced, and like a good basketball game, possession changed regularly, and just before the half hour mark a mistake led to an equaliser – Hudson drilled the ball deep into the Church box, a mis-kicked clearance fell invitingly to Reece Flanagan who was able to steer the ball in from close range.

Despite the setback, Church looked the more likely to get the next goal, and a Concannon corner was cleared to just outside the area, and Edge fired an effort that was deflected just wide of the foot of the post.

A rare threat from the visitors saw Mensah turn and shoot from the edge of the box, but although on target, was comfortably gathered by Jezeph at the second attempt, but a better chance for Church on 41 minutes, on the break, the ball falls kindly for Waldron, and after getting it from under his feet, tracking into the box, he feeds Hamilton, but the latter’s effort to square the ball back to Waldron was intercepted and smuggled to safety at the near post. By Harrison. On the stroke of halftime, another effort from Hamilton forces a save from Harrison as he beats the ball away with his legs to preserve the status quo.

Half Time: Alvechurch 1 Redditch United 1

The second half began badly for Church, and 12 minutes in the visitors contrived an opening to take the lead. King tracked his way through Church’s midfield, just waiting for any contact as he entered the area, and as it duly came his legs collapse and the penalty ward is inevitable. Flanagan steps up and converts.

Redditch have killed the flow of the game by now, and Church have lost their first half verve.

And there was another sting in the tail on 63 when Church failed to defend a corner well enough, and King steered the ball in with a free header that left the home defence pointing at each other in the aftermath.

Church had made themselves look distinctly second best, and needed something to get themselves and the crowd going again, and the chance duly arrived just four minutes later. Callum Flanagan struggled to cope with the menace of Waldron as the Church striker threatened to round his again, and impeded in the box, the Church man goes down and a spot kick is awarded.

Jed Abbey powered the ball in to double his goal tally for the afternoon, and it was game on.

The game has really opened up now, and is alive again with end to end action.

Two really good chances for a Church equaliser materialise with around ten minutes remaining. Firstly, the ball somehow stays out of the Redditch net when a driven cross from Cassidy finds Waldron at the far post but the ball is somehow deflected over the bar for a corner. The reprieve is short lived as the next ball into the box finds Waldron at the far post, and as his headed effort is blocked Abbey pounces on the loose ball to drive the ball powerfully in to complete his hat-trick.

There was still a big question mark over the final outcome in this game, as neither side seemed to have settled for a point. Redditch could have made it three on 82 when Gregson bundled the ball through two challenges before curling the ball just wide of Jezeph’s far post, but this was as close as either side got to a winner and a breathless derby ended with the points shared.