ALVECHURCH 3-0 BROMSGROVE SPORTING: full match report by THE MOWDOG...

Rouslers Tamed By ‘Church Workers…

Alvechurch 3-0 Bromsgrove Sporting

(Worcestershire Senior Urn Final @ the Jubilee Stadium, Evesham United FC)

I was asked this week: “What’s the Worcestershire Senior Urn?” I replied: “Just his pension, like seniors all over England…” This particular Worcestershire Urn however hadn’t ever been won by Bromsgrove Sporting and with manager ‘Smudger’ Smith, an Alvechurch ‘legend’ I’m told, plus players on view who have appeared for both clubs, this game had been eagerly anticipated. A brisk Rousler start, followed by a powerful ‘Church response, led by skipper Dave Bellis and fellow midfielder Ryan Winwood, saw a brace of goals fly past Bromsgrove ‘keeper Chris Jay, whereas Alvechurch’s goalkeeper Paul Evans had been largely redundant before the break. Changes were made by Sporting at the interval but to no avail, as Mark Smith and Luke Paskin remained stubborn at the heart of the ‘Church defence and striker Jordan Nadat ran fast channels to stretch Rousler skipper Craig Jones and experienced sidekick Simon ‘Bluenose’ Fitter. He finally netted a goal late on, combining with the very impressive left-back Zack Foster to plant a left-booter deep into the Bromsgrove net. Headers by Sporting replacements Connor Collins and Kyle Turner threatened Alvechurch slightly, late on and Smith’s long body stopped an angled Turner shot on his goal-line, before he swept the ball away with all the composure of a vicar ushering a disbeliever from his vestry.

"WHATEVER..." THE BORED CRAIG JONES THINKS...

There was a rush from the Rouslers at the start of this Final, with Will Tibbetts and Reece Hewitt looking lively but the bearded Smith’s composure held Sporting at bay and it was good to see a tall central defender attempting to place his defensive clearances, including headers, instead of lumping the ball forth. Bellis capitalised upon a loss of possession by Rousler Nathan Walker and used the outside of his right boot to release Nadat at inside-left, who got past Fitter and drove in an angled shot, which Jay did well to beat behind for a corner. The effective Danny Ashton soon nodded a corner goalwards, which was surprising, as he was one of the smaller guys inside the penalty-box, then Nick Wright, playing on the right-side of the ‘Church midfield, rose to head a left-flank free-kick over the crossbar although he claimed a corner in vain.

BELLIS & HEWITT:
THE DANGERS,
WE ALL KNEW IT...

Sean Brain threatened briefly for Bromsgrove but Sporting were conceding free-kicks, two of which were clawed away by Jay, either side of another set-piece, which I thought Smith was going to launch himself at but instead stretched a very long leg at and the ball was collected by Jay, after Jones had deflected it slightly. The second intervention, aforementioned, by Jay led to a right-wing corner for ‘Church and Smith lost Jones, alas, (Alas Smith & Jones?) before slapping a close range header over the outstretched wings of Jay to give the yellows a lead they never really looked like relinquishing, apart from one moment soon afterwards.

MR TALL HAS SCORED...

THE OTHER PLAYERS CAN'T REACH THE REVEREND SMITH, SO THEY HUG EACH OTHER INSTEAD...

THE REVEREND SMITH LEADS HIS FLOCK...

Josh Westwood collected a pass on the left-wing, beat Chris Field, then shuffled the ball inside to Hewitt, who cleverly slipped past Wright, before squaring the ball onto Brain’s left foot, just 7 yards out but the forward’s effort rose much too high and his team would rue the miss. A scything foul by Aaron Roberts, whose contribution for Bromsgrove was generally immense, earned him a caution but Alvechurch conspired to add a second goal when the ball was switched from centre to left by Winwood and Foster’s superb pass, similar in trajectory to Bellis’ earlier, again freed Nadat outside Fitter and as the ball slid across the 6 yard box, with Jay beaten, Nathan Waite was unable to reach it but Wright, beyond the far post could and he slotted the ball home, with Jack Wilson not able to prevent him from doing so, leaving Jones glaring at his left-back.

BRAIN HAS MISSED...

ROBERTS IS CAUTIONED...

WRIGHT HAS SCORED...

2-0...

...& THE ROUSLERS ARE IN A HOLE...

Jones then fancied a scythe himself and left Waite waiting on the ground for sympathy, Nadat cut inside from the right but shot low straight at Jay and Rousler Luke Dugmore also scythed into a challenge, which surprisingly brought only a lecture from the official, when in reality his misdemeanour was no less illegal than Roberts’ or Jones’… Oh, well, it’s not my place to comment. So I have.

"REF, IF YOU BOOK ME, IT WON'T HELP MY FRACTURED RIBS..."
THE PLEA FELL ON STONY GROUND.

Paskin glanced a deft header past the far post from the ensuing right-side free-kick by Wright and just before the end of a decent first-half’s entertainment, Bromsgrove’s Tibbetts drew a foul from Foster and the rehearsed free-kick from the right, which entailed a low pass towards Jones at the near post, almost came off but the ball rolled for Evans to drop upon. Spectators switched ends to watch their team’s attacking efforts, the darkness closed in and Alvechurch’s fitness levels would be plain to see during a tough second period for the game Rouslers.

BROMSGROVE'S HOPES AT HALF-TIME:
GREY, WITH A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY OF LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL...

Wilson and Westwood were replaced at the break by Sporting, with Jake Willcox appearing in a three-man central defence. Connor Collins went into the attack and Tibbetts crossed to play as a left wingback, balanced by Roberts on the right. Unfortunately for the Rouslers, the lurking Nadat soon got onto a slack Bromsgrove back-pass and manoeuvred round Jay just outside the penalty-box but just as the striker thought his low shot at the vacant net would be goal three, the alert Fitter slid across to divert the ball wide, possibly with an unintentional elbow, or buttock, or hip… Nadat was distraught, Fitter looked surprised… The corner was bravely headed clear by Jones, Ashton hooked the ball back across goal from the right and Waite’s header was pushed out by the falling Jay, leaving Fitter to clear as Nadat hovered nearby.

NADAT IS SO FAST THAT HE HAS TO WEAR A LIGHT-BULB ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD AT NIGHT, SO THAT TEAM-MATES CAN TRACK HIS RUNS...

Nadat then appeared to be nudged down by Willcox as he broke away but the referee was unimpressed then soon, Nadat’s fine run ended with a blocked Waite drive from 18 yards. Roberts cleared the ball upfield and Brain was in at inside-right for Sporting but he appeared to lose his balance and his shot was sliced horribly wide. Bellis was continually so effective in midfield for ‘Church, like a clergyman conducting a service and good play between himself and Foster set up Nadat, 12 yards out but his left-footer rolled past the left upright. Brain was replaced by Kyle Turner for the Rouslers but Nadat went racing again, along the left flank this time but his angled cross-cum-shot flew wide of the far post. Wright took a breather and Sam Williams joined the game for Alvechurch, then Winwood was cautioned for an unnecessary late foul on Hewitt, well inside the Sporting half. “Every time…” chanted the Rousler fans again, but after Waite was replaced by Connor Deards, Nadat sprinted on the left side once more and his angled delivery only just drifted past the far angle of bar and post. Before Nadat settled the game, Bromsgrove’s efforts were nearly rewarded twice and Turner would have been mentally kicking himself, for free at inside-right, he didn’t shoot from the angle, but gently side-footed the ball into Evans’ arms. Collins’ far post header was tipped over the goal-frame by Evans from a right-wing centre but the ‘Church coaching team would have been wondering why Field was marking a taller striker in that instance, when Paskin and Smith were in the environs.

THIS IS WHERE NADAT WORRIES DEFENCES...

Those were costly misses perhaps, for after Deards had a shot deflected to Jay, immediately Nadat set off on a speedy, slalom-like surge, showing sleek sleight of foot, brought Foster into the game of tricks and between them they fashioned a fine third goal. Bellis fed Field, who shoved a pass forward to Nadat, centrally. He took on Fitter towards the left and ‘Bluenose’ did well to block the eventual shot, then as Nadat recovered the ball he cleverly avoided Roberts but Fitter’s boot interceded again inside the 18 yard box, only for Foster to gain possession, play a splendid one-two with Nadat, reach the byeline, pass across to Nadat again and the poacher slammed the ball into the net with Willcox flummoxed and Jay helpless to intervene. Brilliantly taken, brilliantly conceived and credit to Foster’s ingenuity from left-back…

GOAL FOR NADAT...

"I'M LOVELY, HUG ME..."

"SMITH, GET YOUR SODDING BEARD OUTA MY HAIR..."

NADAT MILKS THE LIMELIGHT & ADJUSTS HIS SHIN PAD...

A fine Williams pass for the overlapping Field just didn’t work out, Winwood was replaced by Jack Cresswell for the Lye Meadow-men and there was just time for Rousler Turner to rise and lob a header onto the roof of Evans’ net. Game over, both sets of players seemed cordial and I guess that the muted celebrations, with no daft bouncing up and down of the winning players, no fizzing bubbly over themselves and no chanting of ‘Champione, Ole, Ole, Ole…’ probably underlined the respect shown by ‘Church to the Rouslers…

"ANY DANGER, REF?"

Bellis deserved to lift the trophy as skipper for his command was generally classy, Smith had looked calmly in control in defence and Field and Ashton had relished their supporting roles. Winwood and Wright had flustered Bromsgrove but Nadat and Foster had looked excellent throughout too. Bromsgrove were well served by Hewitt, whose work ethic couldn’t be faulted, as Roberts battled, Jones the Pugilist barked orders and played with his heart on a sleeve and Fitter showed great competence in defence against a tricky customer in Nadat. No long free-kicks by Bromsgrove all evening, for they were taken short instead, probably partly due to the height in the ‘Church defence: veritable spires… 

GUESS WHO'S NOT LOOKING THE RIGHT WAY...

A decent game, a fine performance by Alvechurch, a gutsy effort by Sporting and a splendid sunset too…

Me? A bowl of Cheerios… It’s what I do.  

TEAMS:

ALVECHURCH:

Paul Evans, Chris Field, Zack Foster, Dave Bellis (Capt), Mark Smith, Luke Paskin, Danny Ashton, Ryan Winwood, Jordan Nadat, Nathan Walker, Nick Wright.

SUBS:

Sam Williams, Connor Deards, Karl Edwards, Jack Cresswell, Matt Sargeant.

BROMSGROVE SPORTING:

Chris Jay, Aaron Roberts, Jack Wilson, Simon Fitter, Craig Jones (Capt), Nathan Walker, Will Tibbetts, Reece Hewitt, Luke Dugmore, Josh Westwood, Sean Brain.

SUBS:

Jake Willcox, Brendan Kelly, Umit Eminoglu, Kyle Turner, Connor Collins.