Hard Won Point Keeps Church in Play Off Hunt

Alvechurch: Jezeph, Ezewele, Cassidy (Willets 85), Hallahan (Dowd 70), Hull, Carter, McLintock, Brown, Waldron, Dias (Turton 55), Hamilton
Subs not used: Phillips, Burton

Biggleswade: Alley, Shaw, Farrell, Peters, Hall, Bush, Stevens, Silva, Vasey (Neal 89), Parker, Cardines
Subs not used: D’Arcy, Hill, Short

At the third attempt Church finally got some return from a trip to Biggleswade, having lost on both previous occasions.

On a pitch that resembled a ploughed field, the ball bobbled and bounced erratically and sometimes comically, largely nullifying any smart passing game that the players may have been geared up for.

Best early chance fell to the home side on 21 minutes when a poor clearance fell to Vasey, and the frontman’s strike comes back off the inside of the post and spins to safety. A let off for Church.

The flow of the game was not helped by the poor playing surface, but Peterborough were still fashioning half chances that needed resolute Church defensive blocks to keep the stalemate in tact.

For Church, a golden chance on the half hour fell to Waldron as he connected with a curling Cassidy cross, and his bullet header flew just wide of the mark.
Stalemate at the break, but first blood to the home side in the second half. A loose ball falls to Peters deep in the Church box and the Peterborough player connects well to drill the ball low into the corner to give the home side a 61st minute lead.

Church were not bowed however, and had plenty of good attacking possession in the remaining thurd of the game.

On 70 minutes a great diagonal cross from Cassidy was met by Brown on the volley at the far post, and a good blocking save from keeper Alley at the far post kept the lead in tact.

But an equaliser did finally arrive, on 73 minutes. A great outlet ball finds Dowd, wide right with grass in front of him. A confident run and finish sees the ball in the net with an indecisive touch from Alley that fails to prevent the leveller, with Church probably in the ascendancy now.

In the next attack, McLintock volleys low and just wide from just outside the box, but a share of the points it was to be.

He draw brings Church’s winning run to an end, but extends the unbeaten run to five games.