ALVECHURCH 2-0 WESTFIELDS: FULL MATCH REPORT...

‘Church Heads High, As Westfields Stumble At Lye Meadow

Alvechurch 2-0 Westfields

Alvechurch seemed intent on thrusting offense at Westfields, following their guests’ fine FA Cup victory over Leiston on Saturday and all of the media hype they enjoyed because of it, but from which they also probably suffered a little too. Certainly ‘Fields looked abject at times, probably summed up by a Craig Jones free-kick shot, which simply didn’t have the power, the dip, or the accuracy to trouble the largely redundant ‘Church ‘keeper Paul Evans. What was strange to me was that the guests were defeated by two headed goals from players who were certainly not giants, with Danny Dubidat and Josh March beating huge Westfields skipper Phil Glover and central striker Richard Greaves in the process. A penalty save by ‘Fields’ Matt Glynne from March was some solace, after he had committed the offence in the first place but in truth, the visitors disappointed, rarely threatening their hosts. The first-half of the game was quite intriguing but the second period was messy, containing a mixture of fouls, other stoppages, substitutions and errors, with an understandable lack of urgency from Alvechurch, who had already caused enough damage.

TALL MEN SHAKE HANDS...

Midfielder Dave Bellis was on the bench for ‘Church, with Jack Cresswell being asked to shove more attacking play at Wesfields from the battle zone and it wasn’t long before Alvechurch exploited Glover and company aerially for the first time. A left-side set-piece was nudged on by the bearded home skipper Mark Smith and his side-kick Andy Parsons, free at the right post, rose to nod the ball towards goal from the byeline. Sam Plane headed the ball out but March drove in a low rebound shot from 8 yards, only to be denied by the right boot of Greaves on the goal-line. A shocked Westfields received a caution for one of their midfielders, namely Matt Reeve but with lively right-flanker Josh Sarmento tormenting Plane and also any cover he was afforded, the visitors were forced into keeping Alvechurch out.

POLAN: TRIES HIS LUCK ON THE LEFT...

Sarmento cut inside and drove in a low shot which Matt Gwynne fell right for and gathered at the second attempt, Parsons made a positive forward run from defence and got on the end of the move too, although his left-footer on the turn drifted well wide and March won another offensive header, which flew wide of the near post from a right-side delivery. All that Westfields could muster was a Glover header from a free-kick, which was snatched from the air by Evans. Some decent link-play came from Jones but although striker Dan Polan hugged that right touchline, no doubt hoping for a pass to run onto, he was up against a quick and able left-back in Zac Foster and Polan’s only threat stemmed from a Bonella pass, which he thumped well wide of the near pole from an angle on the right.

Ryan Winwood, Tom Turton and Cresswell kept the momentum going for the hosts and Sarmento curled a cross-cum-shot past the left angle of bar and post, following a pass from Winwood. The opening goal came from a thrilling, rapid, right-side run by Sarmento onto Parsons’ pass. The winger’s clever flick set himself sprinting along the touchline and when his centre came in, Dubidat rushed in front of Glover and skilfully glanced his header into the far corner of the net beyond a helpless Matt Gwynne. 

1-0: DUBIDAT...

BIG HUGS...

...FOR A BIG GOAL...

Greaves missed a chance to equalise when a low right side delivery appeared to run though his feet just a few yards from goal and that error would soon prove costly. March chased towards the Westfields penalty-box at inside-right soon afterwards and fell as Matt Gwynne advanced; the officials awarded a penalty but Matt Gwynne dived right to beat away March’s hip-high spot-kick. Redemption for March was swift however, for his team won a left-flank corner and when Glover’s towering header cleared the initial danger, the ball was swung across again and there was March to beat Greaves aerially and plant a header firmly into the net. 

PENALTY: & A CAUTION FOR MATT GWYNNE...

MARCH FAILS FROM THE PENALTY-SPOT BUT HEADS IN SOON AFTERWARDS & IT'S 2-0...

'CHURCH CONGREGATION HUGS...

Remarkably, Westfields had been undone aerially and sadly hadn’t been able to produce any sustained attacking of their own. They reappeared after the interval and spoke in a loose huddle on the pitch but in fairness, there would be little improvement. 

LONG WAY TO GO LADS...

Sarmento was booked for delaying the game by kicking at the loose ball but surely, with all the spare balls lying around pitches these days, is that type of caution really necessary, in the light of other offences? Hmm… Foster attacked to the left byeline for ‘Church but Glover blocked March’s subsequent low drive, but the visitors’ skipper Glover managed a glancing header from a right-side Ben Miller corner, which flew well wide of the far post and Miller’s next left-side sortie ended when Evans claimed his low near stick centre. Sarmento committed a foul and was then adjudged to have handled the ball and so after he had driven a shot wide of the near post from an angle, he was replaced. Sam Gwynne had already replaced Westfields’ Reeve and Cresswell had been booked for ‘Church, although the referee failed to allow an advantage to be played first and the visitors were mightily annoyed.

JOSH MARCH BURSTS INTO SONG: "THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC..."

Jones’ free-kick, up, down but well over the target and his head-down response to his effort was probably the moment that he and team-mates knew that their fine run this season was about to end and Cresswell soon had a shot blocked, before Bellis replaced him and added some experience to the workhouse in midfield. Matt Gwynne held onto a fierce 22 yard Dubidat volley, James Febery and Anderson Ongono joined the fray for the guests and Bonella’s shot was blocked by the considerable frame of Smith, before Babucar Suare replaced midfielder Turton for the hosts.    

REEVE (6) IN COMBAT...

Visiting defender Kane Kahari was cautioned for a rash foul, Bellis had a shot blocked, Dubidat used good body strength for a run through the inside-right channel but shot from too far out, allowing Matt Gwynne to collect and from a Jamie Sauntson error, March got free at inside-left but he too shot from too far out and Matt Gwynne fell left to save too easily. Greaves did have a free-kick opportunity in the dying moments but his right-footer, although it forced a dive from Evans, probably meaning that the ‘keeper would have to take a shower after all, dropped past the left upright. 

GETTING PHYSICAL...

The really decent Westfields officials were realistic when I chatted to them during the game and they realised that their team hadn’t really got going on the night. Alvechurch were worthy winners and the scoreline could have been more embarrassing for the league-leaders, in all honesty. No shortage of effort but with Smith and Parsons in stubborn mood in the home defence and full-backs Jamie Ashmore and Foster in good form, the visitors were stifled in attack. The home midfield fought throughout but Polan was unable to match Sarmento’s tricks, Greaves was no Dubidat and Miller was shaded by March’s offensive brightness. All told, ‘Church looked back to being a force in the division and Westfields’ gruelling season just goes on. And on… 

ALVECHURCH'S PLAYERS MIME INSTRUCTIONS TO ONE ANOTHER...

DAVE BELLIS: CHATTED BEFOREHAND & HE REALLY IS A DECENT BLOKE.
ROGER HERRIDGE, THE BINFIELD MANAGER & FLACKWELL HEATH SKIPPER BEN STURGESS TOLD ME SO, ANYWAY...

GREAVES WILL NOT SCORE FROM THIS VERY LATE FREE-KICK...

‘Lye’ was a positive word on the night: it’s actually a liquid obtained by leaching ashes but at Lye Meadow, Westfields were beaten last night and at Sphinx Drive, Lye (nobody likes us) Town won 1-2 against Coventry United… 

I just had to lye down and think on those events for a while… 

TEAMS:

ALVECHURCH:

PAUL EVANS, JAMIE ASHMORE, ZAC FOSTER, TOM TURTON, ANDY PARSONS, MARK SMITH (CAPT), JACK CRESSWELL, RYAN WINWOOD, DANIEL DUBIDAT, JOSH SARMENTO, JOSH MARCH.

SUBS:

DAVE BELLIS, BABUCAR SUARE, ORRIN PENDLEY, MIKE WARDLE, CONNOR DEARDS.

WESTFIELDS:

MATT GWYNNE, JAMIE SAUNTSON, SAM PLANE, PHIL GLOVER (CAPT), KANE KAHARI, MATT REEVE, CRAIG JONES, DYLAN BONELLA, RICHARD GREAVES, DAN POLAN, BEN MILLER.

SUBS:

JAMES FEBERY, SAM GWYNNE, ANDERSON ONGONO, AIDEN THOMAS, KIERON BLACKBURN.