First Team
Matches
Tue 29 Sep 2020  ·  Premier Division Central
Alvechurch F.C.
First Team
J Wakeling (14' Pen)
1
3
Stratford Town
First Half Stratford Flurry Buries Church

First Half Stratford Flurry Buries Church

Alan Deakin1 Oct 2020 - 07:35
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Three first half goals from visitors Stratford Town do for them as Church find there is no way back in the second.

Church came off second best in a fierce derby game that lived up to all the pre-match expectations, losing a game in which all four goals came in a 19 minute spell during the first third of the game.

Alvechurch: Maher, Birch.M, Sauane, Birch.J (Marselia 73), Hull, Willets, Bellis (Daley 17), Botfield, Wakeling (McFarlane 73), Monteiro, Hamilton
Subs not used: Cassidy, Lloyd

Stratford: Belford, Vann, Muggleton, Curtis (McLean 90+1), Heaven, Williams, Fry, Sammons, Howards, Grocott (Perry 60), Isaac (Kaziboni 77)
Subs not used: Birch, Glover

After a fast paced opening there were just seven minutes on the clock when the deadlock was broken. A Stratford corner was cleared and Sammons drove the ball back into the area, finding Fry withy the ball now at his feet a few yards out, and the Ton number seven made no mistake from close in. A little against the run of play, and Church looked to straightaway put things right with the lively Wakeling running at pace at the heart of the visiting defence whenever he got possession. And it was then the Church striker’s turn to be the provider when he fed the ball through to the nippy Hamilton, and the Churchman was brought tumbling to the ground inside the box from a challenge by Williams to win Church a 13th minute penalty. Wakeling obliged from the spot to bring the scores level.

Church lost Bellis to injury on 17 minutes, and it was not long after before Stratford edged back in front. A controversial handball decision against Sauane as he went to block a cross from wide on the Church left, and a second penalty of the game is awarded. Grocott strikes the ball high into the roof of the net to make the score 2-1 in Stratford’s favour.

Wakeling runs at the visiting defence again on 24 minutes, and draws another corner, but having cleared Stratford break, and get a soft free kick wide on their right flank. The initial ball into the box is cleared, but Sammons latches onto the loose ball and rifles it into the top corner from 25 yards; an unstoppable shot giving Maher no chance and the deficit is now two goals.

A potentially big call for the referee on 43 when a long ball from defence by Stratford resulted in the on rushing Maher colliding with Howards 35 yards from goal. A yellow card for the Church keeper and another free kick whipped dangerously into the Church box.

A face paced, full-bloodied half draws to a close. Inconsistent refereeing has not helped, and the second half promises to be interesting if the game continues in this vein.

Half Time: Alvechurch 1 Stratford Town 3

A full length save from Belford denies a Botfield curled freekick five minutes into the second half, and more inconsistent refereeing sees persistent fouling (particularly from Stratford no.2 Vann) going unpunished, and then Hamilton is cautioned after going down in the box under challenge from the same, presumably for simulation.
Stratford could have finished the game on 58 minutes when Howards strikes the Church bar with an angled drive from just inside the Church box, but Church’s hopes remained intact.

The visitors managed the remaining time well, and although wave after wave of Church attack came, particularly involving the impressive debutant Mason Birch, there was no quality in the final touch to severely trouble Belford’s goal.

Match details

Match date

Tue 29 Sep 2020

Kickoff

19:45

Attendance

248

Competition

Premier Division Central

League position

6
Stratford Town
21
Alvechurch
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