Half Hour Horror Show Sees Church Surrender Four Goal Lead

Alvechurch: Randle, Akinwe, Dyer, Hallahan, Ofusu (Dugmore 25), Alabi, George 83, Chong (Lamb 79), Allen-Hadley (Cassidy 53), Concannon, Gordon subs not used: Petterson, Evans

Barwell: Griffiths, Flanagan, Master, Kerr, Kamson-Kamara, Ward, Enoru, Brown-Hill, Holman, Hickey, Cursons (Ngwa 75) subs not used: Rowley, Edwards, Freeman, Davidson-Miller

Let’s face it – four goals up after an hour, you fully expect to bag all three points.
But sadly this was not to be the case, and Church suffered a horror last half hour to leave themselves with just a point, and bizarrely sliding towards the most unlikely of losses.

It was an almost pitch perfect first half as the home side strormed into a four goal lead, but in all honesty, both sides looked for more comfortable attacking than in defensive mode. Church were the side that carved out and took their chances though, and in some style at times.

Church were one up after just five minutes after a smooth passing move culminated in Chong delivering the ball across the face of the goal, and the pass was swept in by Allen-Hadley.

Barwell had a golden chance to equalise on 12 minutes after a swift counter attack, with the ball being switched from left to right flank before being driven across the face of the six yard box, where Hickety was on hand to…….. smash the ball against the bar from a couple of yards! The ball is smuggled behind for a corner but it is a massive miss.

On 20 minutes Church find their second breakthrough after Alabi loops the ball over the Barwell midfield and defensive lines, right into the path of George, who turns a defender with a lovely first touch and then drives the ball low past Griffiths into the far corner of the Barwell net.

Church are well on top, and on 33 minutes get a chance for a decisive third goal when Dyer is impeded by Enoru as he turns in the Barwell box, looking to latch onto a slide rule pass from Concannon. The penalty is awarded and Chong despatches it to give Church some significant breathing space.

But the pick of the bunch came in first half stoppage time when a lovely first time passing move from Church completely dismantled the Barwell defence, and Gordon finished with a smart low shot into the corner of Griffiths’ goal from the edge of the box.

Half Time: Alvechurch 4 Barwell 0

The opening exchanges gave no clear indication as to what would follow in the last half hour of the game.

Just one minute in Chong whips the ball across from wide, and Gordon connects strongly with a headed effort, but he is not quite able to direct it on target. Four minutes in and Church win a corner, and Gordon connects with a glancing header that is cleared off the line.

Church look as if they have not settled for what they already have here, and that is a positive sign. And next, Goerge rips down the right flank, and squares for Concannon who gets under his shot, and clears the bar from a good looking position.

On 54 minutes, Barwell carve out probably their best chance to date, forcing Randle into a great one handed save low to his left to deny the visitors a chink of light.
But it is a temporary respite, and on the hour mark the visitors finally take a bite out of Church’s lead. The ball is looped forward, Randle hesistates, and Hickey connects to lift the ball over him into the empty net.

The game becomes a bit more fragmented, and the pendulum definitely swings towards the visitors, and on 77 minutes, out of the blue, the half time deficit is halved with a snap shot from the corner of the box somehow eluding Randle’s dive before settling in the far corner.

Game on, and Church are looking a little jittery. And rightly so, as with five minutes to go the deficit is reduced again when Hickey powers in a header from the edge of the box following a corner.

Two minutes later an other corner to the back post almost results in an equaliser, but the unchallenged downward header bounces over the bar.
It is now a frantic end to the game, and Church are having to hold on after enjoying a four goal lead less than half an hour before.

And deep into stoppage time the turnaround was complete when a corner is half cleared and the ball is re-cycled back into the box, and a close range header from Hickey earns him a hat-trick and an unlikely point at the death.