There is a positivity in a clean sheet, as it indicates a togetherness in midfield and defence that lays a good foundation for the 1-0 and 2-0 wins; victories that Church have attained on their last two away league games.
It’s a start in a highly competitive league where there are no gimmes, and especially this season, where there does not appear, at the moment to be a runaway contender/contenders for the title/playoffs.

The first half was by no means a classic.

In fact, it was not until the dying stages of the first period that Church created significant openings that could have brought the opening goal.

It should have been a penalty on 32 minutes as Dan Sweeney went down in the box under challenge afterghosting past two defenders and teeing up a shot on goal. Not clear what the referee saw there, but it was not a spot kick decision. It was Sweeney again in the thick of it on 45 minutes when he received the ball just oputside the box after a smart run down the left by Dyer, and his rasping shot was heading for the bottom corner until keeper Forster launches himself to his right to get a strong hand to the shot and gather in at the second attempt.

Stoppage time brings another chance when Omari Sterling-James launches a free kick from deep, and as the ball bounces dangerously in front of Forster on the six yard line, the home keeper is forced to react quickly to tip the ball over the bar.
The half has ended with much better end product from Church, with the hoem side offering little in the final third
as Church work hard to repel any evolving danger.

Half Time: Hitchin Town 0 Alvechurch 0

The key moment of the game came nine minutes into the second half when Sweeney finished off a smart counter attacking move. Willis wins the ball in midfield, releases Allen-Hadley down the right flank, and the speedy forward’s pin-point cross was deftly buried into the Hitchin net with a first time finish that gave Forster no chance.

The goal spurred Church on, but straightaway there was a let-off for Church at the other end when a deep free kick to the far post then fell to Jones, well placed, and with a good soght of goal, but the defender lashed his shot across the face of the target and wide of the far post.

Willis rifles a shot from 25 yards just wide of the angle of the goal after again mopping up possession in midfield as Church probed for a game winning second, but ultimately had to settle for the narrow 1-0 win against a side still looking for their first point of the season, but not looking far off getting something finally on the board.