Line Ups:
Alvechurch: Evans, Dugmore, Medrano, Sullivan, Pearce, Perry (Willis 66), Merrett, Powell (Abbey90), Wakefield, Ilesanmi (Ngandu 90), Miles subs not used: Timson, Njie
Stamford : Jackson.T, Keeble, Wilson, Hobbins, Cooke (Armstrong 46), Jackson.O (Frew 78), Marzano (Cavallo 90), Duffy (Challinor 90), Sanchez-Tonge. Lobjoit, Bartle (Cashmore 70)

Stamford were something of a form side, having won three of the last four, a run that had seen them move out of the bottom four after struggling for seemingly the whole season.

Church were looking to put one over on a bottom four rival after a disappointing result at Bishop’s Stortford the previous weekend, failing to build on the previous success at Kettering.

Two half chances in the opening ten minutes- one for each side – set the tone that this is going to be an end to end encounter. Firstly Powell cuts inside and shoots for Church, but a slight deflection takes sufficient pace off the ball for it not to be a problem for the visiting keeper, and soon after good feet from Lobjoit makes space for a shot for Stamford from 20 yards, but straight at Evans.

On 14 minutes Medrano is forced to block the ball on his own goal line before clearing a Lobjiot shot as Stamford come the closest yet.
Despite these bright openings, the first half pretty much slumbers from there on in, with the visitors looking to exploit the long ball tactic ad nauseum.
Until Stamford go close again as half time approaches as Lobjoit screws a shot wide from a good position after the ball is curled across the face of the box.

Half Time: Alvechurch 0 Stamford 0

The second half begins in a more full bloodied fashion.
On 55, great feet from Miles on the edge of the box sees him put his marker on his backside before his ensuing shot is deflected for a corner.

Church had a penalty shout on the hour mark when Ilesanmi is seemingly wrestled to the ground in the area, but nothing doing from the officials.

Stamford almost profited from a harshly awarded free kick from wide on the right on 62 minutes, with Wilson sending the ball bouncing into the heart of the Church box, forcing Evans to tip the effort over his own bar as it reared up in front of him.

But a minute later the breakthrough came as Miles went over a trailing leg as he twisted and turned in the Stamford box. The fouled Church man takes the spot kick himself and puts the home side ahead courtesy of the inside of the foot of the left hand post.

A mix up in the Church defence almost allows Stamford back into the game on 72 minutes when Medrano nods the ball past his advancing keeper, but Marzano fails to capitalise as the angle is too tight to hit the target comfortably, and he blazes the ball over.

But Stamford’s resistance is finally over on 85 when Church bag their second goal of the game. Kieran Wakefield capitalises on a poor clearance, shifts the ball across the face of the Stamford box, and rifles a shot on target that keeper Jackson gets a strong hand to, but watches helplessly as it drops over the line behind him.

A chance for 3-0 in stoppage time as Church break through Miles, who feeds the ball to Ngandu through on goal, but the advancing keeper gets enough of a touch on the ball to deflect the danger.