Just One Word - CHAMPIONS!

It has been a stuttering end to the season, but the hard work had already been done in the September/October, and from January through to March.

So, with a game to spare, Church can now rightly claim the MFL crown, albeit with a lower
points total, and goals scored record than the previous campaign when Hereford provided ultimately insurmountable opposition. A definitely more competitive league this year, with four or five serious contenders, but Church have proven to be the most resilient.

The game itself won’t be fondly remembered for its content – just the outcome.
Added spice in the fact that Shawbury had their own battle to fight – one against the drop back down to the WMRL in all likelihood. Also, the match signalled their last game at the Wem Sports Centre before an albeit temporary move to Ludlow.

A lively start from Church in bright sunshine, but the bouncing ball and hard pitch, accompanied by a swirling wind made it less of a football spectacle than it could have been.
The game sprung to life just before the 20 minute mark when a penalty appeal for the home side was brushed aside by the referee and in the ensuing action, Thomas was cautioned after a crude challenge on Shilvock. It seemed to liven everyone up, and within ten minutes both sides had scored.

On 29 Shawbury took the lead with the first on-target effort from either side. A free kick on the right of the Church box swung, and Brant connected with a powerful header to send the ball low into the corner of Evans’ goal.

Church struck straight back, and within two minutes had levelled the score. Sauane did well to break behind the Shawbury defence, and kept his feet to deliver a deep cross to the back post when Josh March connected to send a looping effort over everyone and into the net with the help of the inside of the back post.

Church thought they had then taken the lead themselves on 37 when March converted a corner, but hand ball was the judgement and yellow card was the outcome.
Two minutes later McKenzie was put clean through by Sauane after a clever one-two move between the pair, but with a clear sight of goal saw keeper Havard save with his legs.

Half time, and one hand definitely on the title.

A keenly contested second half did little to settle the nerves, but Church did have a couple of clear-cut opportunities to get that second hand on the title.
An Ashmore free kick on 53 created mayhem in the Shawbury box and Havard punched the ball into two Church attackers, requiring a goal line clearance to deflect the danger, and then on 62 a great break from Sauane, a squared ball , under the keeper, and finding McKenzie unmarked six yards out, but the ball got stuck under the strikers foot and the defence close to clear.

As Shawbury battled for an unlikely winner, both sides seemed to have eventually accepted their respective fates. The home side live to fight another day in the final game next weekend – a win for them and a defeat for Walsall Wood will save them.
Church have the luxury of a bonus game against Rocester.

Fair play to the home side. Battled to the end, and respected the title winners with a show of class at the end with a guard of honour for the Church players as they left the pitch.