On a day where Church needed a reaction to their first defeat of the season, the task ahead of them was a daunting one but one to relish in the fact that the league leaders came into town on Wednesday morning. The visitiors, Draper Norton, were one of just three teams left standing to be unbeaten so far this season with the others being Stratford Town and Leamington. A chance for Church to make a huge statement of their own.

As mentioned, the home team were on the lookout for a response after a 3-1 defeat at Tamworth last week as we welcomed the unbeaten league leaders to The Hayes. A win would put the hosts just nine points behind the travelling side with three games in hand still to be played for Church.

HOW IT UNFOLDED:
On yet another bitter morning, we had a tiny set-back to the beginning of the encounter as kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes due to unforeseen circumstances. This minor set-back didn't let it affect the Church side though as they hunted an opening goal to give them a platform to build from.

End to end stuff throughout the full 90 minutes. A really gripping watch.

Eight minutes in and Spike Whitehouse was called into action as he made a wonderful save to deny Norton taking the lead. Their striker brought the ball down in space before skipping past two challenges and drilling his effort low but Whitehouse' outstretched legs denied him.

This moment seemed to kick Church into gear as two minutes later, the woodwork was the only factor standing in the way of giving us the advantage. Louie Clifford with his dancing feet strolled past four Draper players before drilling the ball hard and low to the far side of the penalty area. His cross fell kindly for Will Hicks, who saw his effort cannon off the base of the post.

On 14 minutes, another massive save from Whitehouse. Driving into the penalty area, the winger saw his effort tipped away from danger as the score-line remained level. Chances at both ends.

The game's tempo and intensity showed no signs of slowing down as Church went close again. 19 minutes gone. Frantic to say the least. Hicks linked up with Taylor Mason down the left-hand side and the latter saw his cross brilliantly cut out as Jaelon West closed in at the far post to try and break the deadlock.

But, the lead did come eventually for one of the sides. It was the hosts, who got the opening goal of the encounter. A long ball over the top looked to have had a tad bit too much pace on the ball but West broke the offside trap latching onto it and not giving it up. He got there ahead of the goalkeeper, rounding him and had the task of placing the ball into the unguarded net - which he did.

The lead lasted a little over six minutes though as the visitors struck their first blow of the match. A defence splitting ball carved us wide open allowing the striker a free roam into the 18-yard box and his finish was perfect as he rolled it under Whitehouse to level the contest.

11 minutes later, and the home side weren't done there as they regained their deserved lead on the balance of play. Mason picked the ball up in the heart of midfield before driving forward with purpose and slotting Jaedon Lindsey through on goal, who timed his movement fantastically to get in behind. He then composed himself, opening up his body and slotting into the far corner to make it 2-1.

We even had time for the fourth goal of the game as Church established their dominance in a tense but exciting first half of football. Dieter Schwarm, who has been involved with our Men's first-team over recent weeks, combined well with Josh Harwood. Harwood picked his head up to take aim from 25 yards out and his wonderful curling effort landed in the top left-hand corner to give us a two-goal cushion heading into the interval.

HT: ALVECHURCH 3-1 DRAPER NORTON

Tyrone Barnett's men really sending out a statement. A brilliantly-executed game plan was working. Could Church maintain their focus and discipline to get over that line though?

As most expect when a team is behind at the break, you'd expect a reaction of some kind but this reaction was superb from the away side. On 48 minutes, Spike Whitehouse produced an absolutely unbelievable save. The header was planted back where it came from and his out-stretched left hand somehow got there to claw it out of the goal before the rebound was hooked off the line. Heroics from the home team to maintain the two-goal lead.

There was nothing Whitehouse and his team-mates could do just a minute later though as Norton surged back into the thriller. A diagonal ball across the field of play was weighted to perfection allowing the winger to ghost in behind the Church backline. Not aware of the runner, he ran the length of the pitch and had all the time in the world to pick his spot but he was devastating with his finish as he lashed it into the side-netting to halve the deficit.

A grand-stand finale on the way...

With 25 minutes remaining, Church needed some more heroic defending to deny the league leaders, who were throwing everything at it now to ensure their unbeaten start to the season wasn't going to evaporate here. A sensational tackle inside the area from the Church defence stopped a certain goal before our goalkeeper was forced into another exceptional save down to his left.

Could Alvechurch hold on?

77 minutes flashed by, and the travelling team themselves had now struck the woodwork as a volley was cannoned back in and it slammed the underside of the crossbar but to Church' fortunes came back out allowing us to clear any further impending danger.

But the game and the nerves were settled with seven minutes to go. Mason skipped by three challenges, sliding Lindsey in down the left. Our forward still had a lot to do but he unselfishly picked out Max Iles at the back post, who was sliding across goal to get on the end of the delivery, which he did and the final touch took it over the line despite the best efforts of the Norton defender.

Topsy turvy wasn't anywhere near it. Barnett needed some more fantastic defending from his soldiers to deny the visiting side a route back into the encounter with minutes to play. Jaeon got back to block an effort which was heading into an empty net after Whitehouse closed off the angle for the striker. The rebound fell straight back into the path of the striker, whose second shot was heroically defended on the line again.

Passion. Determination. Spirit.

FT: ALVECHURCH 4-2 DRAPER NORTON

A fantastic win for our Development side on Wednesday as they took a huge step forward and ensured that the visitors' unbeaten start to the season came to end here. What a way to bounce back for the Church as they had to defend with real bravery at times in that game but were also clinical when they needed to be. A real team performance to get over the line. Well done, lads!