So, the first of two mouth-watering contests over the next three days was upon us as we welcomed second-placed AFC Telford United to Lye Meadow for our second and final meeting of the 2024/2025 season. Coming into the encounter, Church had picked up seven points from the last nine available to them with wins over Lowestoft Town and Barwell coupled with a point at Biggleswade Town in their final outing of 2024 has seen the Worcestershire based side rise to 13th.

Third in the form table and rapidly rising up the Southern League standings, Tim Flowers is working his magic once again. Saturday's visit of Telford handed the hosts with an opportunity to open up an eight-point gap between them and the bottom four. But more importantly, cut the gap to the play-off picture to eight points. Perfectly balanced.

Switching focus to the visitors, they were aiming to continue building on their recent form which has seen just one defeat in their last ten outings. The run of form propelled to them to the summit of the Southern League, following last weekend's late 2-0 win against 7th-placed Stamford at the SEAH stadium. Due to midweek results, Telford dropped to second, so the Bucks came into the encounter looking to regain their position at the top of the tree.

Since their relegation to the Southern League, Church have failed to beat them on their previous three meetings. A 1-0 defeat away from home followed by a 2-0 home defeat in the 2023/2024 season. The hosts, this afternoon, did however managed to earn a creditable point at the SEAH stadium this season, and now were looking for their first win in this fixture.

HOW IT UNFOLDED:
It was the Church to get us underway for the final meeting between the two clubs this season.

On 10 minutes, Joe Willis aiming for his third goal in four games, since his set-back against Stratford Town on Boxing Day, delivered a teasing cross into the area. No-one in amber and black on the move for it, allowed Telford to clear. Their clearance fell ever so kindly though as the winger drove forward with real pace. As he reached the by-line, Ammar Dyer recovered quickly to put in a vital interception.

Seven minutes later, Church' fortunate moment of the game arrived. Matt Stenson, a man in form with 12 goals in his last 14 matches, broke beyond the last man keeping himself onside. He had space and time to pick out his man in the area. The effort at the front post came crashing back off the underside of the crossbar. The alarm bells still ringing though as the ball was bouncing around in the area. Stenson came storming in looking to squeeze it over the line but his stabbed effort was gratefully grasped by Ronnie Hollingshead.

The visitors were growing in real confidence and belief. They did get their chance to break the deadlock on the half hour mark. Dyer and his marker had a tangle of legs inside the penalty area leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot. Stenson grabbed the ball, and eyed up his 13th in 15 matches. After a slight delay to the spot kick, the forward gave Hollingshead the eyes and smashed it beyond the despaired dive of our shot-stopper to hand the away side the advantage.

However, the goal seemed to breathe new life into the Church players. A flash of confidence from nowhere! A brilliant reaction to falling behind in the battle. Ethan Sephton delivered a wicked ball into the area, skipper Krystian Pearce leaped highest to get his head on it. He knocked it down into the path of fellow centre-back partner Archie Crowther, who rifled his effort towards goal but it was charged down quickly by Jordan Cranston.

As the clock approached 36 minutes, the home side showed their powers of recovery. The ball floated across to the opposite flank saw Sam Perry bring the ball out of the sky, he in-turn freed Callum Sullivan into a pocket of space. The midfield ace's pass was on a plate for Willis, who touch one touch out of his feet and unleashing his strike towards goal. A slice of good fortune about it as it took a wild deflection but they all count the same and the ball planted itself into the net to bring us level.

For large parts of the game, it looked as if the game was going to be taken away from Tim Flowers' men but how many times have we said we don't deserve to be behind at the break having played really well? This time, it was a roles reverse as Church went into the break ahead, somehow! But for all of those games that we never deserved to be behind, maybe lady luck is changing...

The home team were rewarded a penalty in the only minute of stoppage time. Perry was as fast as lightning to get to the ball ahead of his marker, he was brought down under the challenge and the referee didn't hesitate, pointing to the spot. It gave the spirited Church side a huge opportunity to go into the interval with a major platform to build on. Allen-Hadley stepped up to take again following his conversion from the spot against Barwell last weekend. A man in form. A man for the occasion. He kept his cool before slotting it into the bottom left-hand corner. His fifth goal in three games!

HT: ALVECHURCH 2-1 AFC TELFORD UNITED

The hosts wouldn't be getting carried away following a tough opening 45 minutes at times. A huge second half performance needed to try and wrap up what would be a huge, but vitally important three points in their quest to keep pushing up the table.

BANG! Just what we needed at the start of the second period. The red-hot streak continues for the man full of confidence at the moment. Allen-Hadley all-but wrapped up all three points just six minutes after the restart. Shay Willock, on his return from his three-match ban, flicked the ball on into the path of Pearce or Allen-Hadley. Our captain left it for the man that put us ahead. He gained half a yard on his defender before cutting inside and curling it into the bottom right-hand corner to set off huge celebrations!

On 54 minutes, there was a wake-up call. The battle of the men in form it seemed. Stenson through on goal curled his shot from the angle into the far corner, but was denied by the linesman on the far side. Just a warning sign for The Church not to switch off as the encounter was far from over.

Ten minutes later, Ronnie Hollingshead, who had been rarely tested throughout the game, was forced into a superb save. A deep cross fell kindly for the winger, who rifled his effort towards goal. The effort heading into the far right-hand corner, but the on-loan WBA shot-stopper sprung across his goal to make an important save and keep the two-goal cushion.

The home team were managing the game very well in certain moments in the second half to take the sting out of the battle between the two in-form sides. The fans, staff and players frustrations continued to grow on the Telford behalf as the climax grew ever closer.

With eight minutes remaining, Alvechurch went so close to adding a fourth, and probably should have in all fairness. A brilliant piece of play from Allen-Hadley, first, who was hunting his hat-trick. A long clipped ball caused chaos for his chaser. You wouldn't want to be in his position against the pace of our forward man. Hadley injected a burst of pace allowing him to break free, he composed himself before aiming for the far corner. The goalkeeper made a great save. Sullivan followed it in. The angle was too tight for a shot, so he instead unselfishly laid it on a plate for Willock. But, the pair weren't on the same wavelength and the chance disappeared quickly.

When he was called upon, Hollingshead worked his magic, too! The ball looped up in the air following a half clearance from the home defence. An acrobatic effort, an overhead kick, came flying in and Hollingshead got down really, really well to make another vital save pushing it out for a corner. A sensational save in all honesty to preserve that two-goal lead.

That was the final bit of action from the contest though as Church held on to gain a HUGE three points at home.

- Four League Games Unbeaten.
- Three Points.
- Two Wins In A Row At Home In The League.
- One Massive Performance.

FT: ALVECHURCH 3-1 AFC TELFORD UNITED