ALVECHURCH 1-0 BROMSGROVE SPORTING: REPORT & IMAGES...

Much Graft, Some Creativity = Little Goalmouth Action…

Alvechurch 1-0 Bromsgrove Sporting

This encounter was competitive certainly, with much hard work evident by both teams, as well as some steely defensive play. One scrappy goal was scored inadvertently by Babucar Sauane for ‘Church, prior to half-time but neither outfit caused too much consternation in the opposition’s penalty-area, despite their undoubted best efforts. Saves by goalies were as rare as an unblemished refereeing performance, for Sporting’s Reece Francis merely stopped a Sauane drive and a ‘Church replacement gloveman used his legs to deny Rousler Wade Malley and those were the only real shots dealt with, although a few crosses needed attending to. 

JAMIE WILLETS MIGHT HAVE A WARDROBE MALFUNCTION...
CRAIG JONES LOOKS AWAY.

Most shots flew off target, although Ahmed Ali’s falling glanced header for Bromsgrove wasn’t far wide of the right upright early on but otherwise efforts from players were generally inaccurate. The grass at Lye Meadow, a meadow left to lie for a few days, must have seemed like attempting tenpin bowling along granny’s rag rug to Bromsgrove, for their previous pre-season games have been played on 3G surfaces. 

COWLEY ATTEMPTS A BLOCK...

The lack of atmosphere was unusual for a crowd of 441, especially in respect of the Rousler fans grouped behind the goal-frames which their team attacked during the match. There were the occasional chants of “EVERY TIME…” when a Rousler was fouled but little more was heard, for moments of excitement were not common on the night despite the endeavour displayed for which neither team could be faulted.

THE BROMSGROVE MIXED VOICE CHOIR...

CRAIG JONES CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHO'S NICKED THE TATTOO FROM HIS RIGHT ARM...

COWLEY: RAPID...

Managers have been quoted as saying that results in pre-season matches are irrelevant but this clash saw ‘Church keeping the ball in a corner of the pitch for the final moments to protect their slender lead, even though so many substitutions had been made by both clubs. The victory clearly mattered to Alvechurch then…

WHO'S BEEN BOUNCING ON THE DUGOUT?

WILLS: "NOOOOO, IT'S NOT MY HEAD..."

JAMIE ASHMORE (2) PLAYED WEARING HIS NIGHTCAP...

Bromsgrove had begun in lively fashion with Ali’s low header and a wayward shot by striker Joe Ward but there was a loud “OOOOOH…” when a ‘Church clearance slammed into the scrotum of Sporting midfielder Sam Wills, whose female physio’ was probably not quite certain how to deal with the situation… The two number 7s then got involved, for after Francis had been tested by Sauane, the ‘Churchman found himself swiping a low cross by Rousler Robbie Bunn (also 7) away from his own 6 yard area. Sauane then fired wide when a poor left-booted Francis clearance offered him a shooting opportunity and a quick ‘Church free-kick saw Luke Keen’s header glance across the goalmouth.

SMUDGER CHECKS WHETHER THE CHIN GROWTH IS COMING ON...

BELLIS: NEVER STOPPED...

COWLEY THREATENS EARLY ON...

Jason Cowley, full of impish running for Sporting, drove too high following a typical Reece Hewitt dribble but after Alvechurch striker Dan Dubidat had driven a free-kick into a Bromsgrove defensive wall then pulled another shot well wide, the hosts took what was actually a surprise lead. In fact it was a surprise that either of the teams managed to chalk up a goal at all. Dave Bellis slipped a pass inside from the right for Tom Turton to clip into the penalty-box where it seemed that Francis hesitated for a moment and ended up taking evasive action with hands up as Sauane rumbled forth and the ball somehow rolled into the net off the ‘Churchman. Messy… A brilliant challenge by Captain Rousler, Craig ‘I’ll-fight-you with-my-gloves-on’ Jones, on ‘Churchman Keen brought the opening half to an end and the Sporting fans made their usual pilgrimage to the other end of the ground.

THE ONLY GOAL...

BABUCAR SAUANE IS MOBBED...

...& ALVECHURCH HAVE THEIR WINNER...

Jamie Willets, captaining the ‘Church had been solid for his team, well backed by Ash Carter and wide defensemen Jamie Ashmore and Zak Foster; Sauane had been influential, Bellis had anchored midfield with Turton and Dubidat had harassed the Sporting defence with his rugged and rapid runs. The Sporting defence had looked solid enough on most occasions but Ali’s efforts, Hewitt’s dribbles and the occasional sortie by Bunn apart, their midfield wasn’t really functioning too effectively leaving attackers Cowley and Ward foraging and chasing too often.

MORE REPLACEMENTS...

Rousler Chris Conway, brought into the action at the break, following a cool drink and some fruit gums, hit a decent effort just over the right angle of crossbar and upright, before Alvechurch made a total mess of a right-side corner, first being made to re-take their short flag-kick because the ball was outside the quadrant, then taking it short again, before the two players involved exchanged passes twice but the eventual cross was charged down, leaving expectant players like Dubidat, Keen and Willets grinding their teeth in annoyance no doubt.

THE 'CHURCH REPLACEMENT ON THE REF'S RIGHT SHOULDER CHATTED TO ME DURING THE WARM-UP...
NO IDEA WHO HE IS.

‘Church in fact only went even mildly close to scoring once in the entire second-half, despite contesting it fairly evenly most of the time. Dubidat raced against Jones to fasten onto a long clearance by Turton but his 18 yard effort rose, like most other shots on the night, too high. Jones did appear to foul Dubidat at the edge of the Rousler penalty-box though but that was waved away by the lenient referee. Bromsgrove, through the pace of Chris Lloyd and the involvement of Malley, managed some tries on goal but first Ali failed with a shot, Malley’s angled shot from inside-left was blocked by the substitute goalie’s legs at the near post, Wills curled a decent free-kick from 23 yards too high, Malley headed way off target, John Pykett cut inside from the right but his shot was wasteful and following smart play by Conway again, Ali fed Pykett on the right but from near the byeline, the replacement rolled the ball straight to the ‘keeper.

DUBIDAT HAS FALLEN...

...HE RECKONS JONES HAS FOULED HIM & TELLS FRANCIS ABOUT IT...

And that was that in truth. Lots more effort, lots of running, plus two wild challenges by Rousler Liam Spink on ‘Church marksman Josh March which in a competitive game would surely have earned cautions and finally the cradling of the ball near the right offensive corner flag by the hosts which subsequently prevented the snarling Rouslers from acquiring the ball again.

SPINK SLIDES IN...

JOSH AIN'T MARCHING NOW.
THE RESULT OF SPINK'S SECOND FOUL...

Ben Birch had added some height to the Sporting defence but to be fair Duane Courtney and Josh Quaynor, along with Jones, had done well in that department during the opening period too. 

A decent escapade for both clubs all told but that victory seemed rather important to Step 4 Alvechurch over their Step 5 hopefuls from Bromsgrove… 

And you can’t blame them…   

Thanks to Bromsgrove’s David Stephens for supplying the names of his squad players on the night, as well as Alvechurch’s starters. Alvechurch’s Richard Thorndike Tweeted his substitutes’ names to me but the additional home replacements remain unknown, for which I apologise…

SQUADS:

ALVECHURCH:

PAUL EVANS, JAMIE ASHMORE, ZAK FOSTER, TOM TURTON, JAMIE WILLETS (CAPT), ASH CARTER, BABUCAR SAUANE, DAVE BELLIS, DAN DUBIDAT, KYLE BRADY, LUKE KEEN, JOSH MARCH, RYAN INMAN, LOPES MASSAMBO, ADAM GARMSON, KORY BURKE.

BROMSGROVE SPORTING:

REECE FRANCIS, DUANE COURTNEY, JOSH QUAYNOR, SAM WILLS, CRAIG JONES (CAPT), DANIEL MORRIS, ROBBIE BUNN, AHMED ALI, JASON COWLEY, JOE WARD, REECE HEWITT, JOHN PYKETT, LIAM SPINK, CHRIS CONWAY, WADE MALLEY, BEN BIRCH, CHRIS LLOYD.