Premier Division Champions Alvechurch completed a double winning the League Cup, but Atletico
pushed them all the way with a credible performance, losing by just the one goal in three.
AFC had been reinstated into the Final after Semi Final victors St Andrews were removed from the
competition for playing a player under a false name. Hinckley fans turned out in numbers at
Walsall's Bescot Stadium contributing to a crowd of 628, and witnessed an entertaining game of
open, end to end football. Hinckley's first chance came from a corner when James Williams saw
his header tipped over by Ryan Price. Church responded with a deep cross from Jamie Ashmore that
Josh March looked to have headed into the top corner, only for Haydn Whitcombe to make a superb
save pushing away for a corner. AFC then had a spell of pressure, but failed to convert any
of the chances, on 25 minutes Javia Roberts made space and ran at the Alvechurch back line
and fired goalwards from outside the area, the ball just drifting the wrong side of the post.
Then Price was called into action again moments later as Paul Sullivan dribbled around the Church
defense forcing the keeper to save with his feet. Sullivan then turned provider, playing in
Lee Butler who's shot was on target, but straight at Price. Again Sullivan ghosted into the
area, and fired across the goal, but no one could get on the end to score. Alvechurch stayed
strong through that spell and responded before half time with a powerful drive from Zak Foster
that Whitcombe parried away, then just before half time Jack Cresswell curled an effort from
the corner of the area that Whitcombe again tipped around the post, leaving the game score less
at half time.
The second half started at a slower tempo as the first chance was just before the hour from
a Lee Butler free kick that dipped just over the bar. Alvechurch finally took the lead just
after the hour from a corner that wasn't cleared properly cleared and crossed back into the
area for March to run onto and head past Whitcombe. Ex Hinckley United man Danny Dubidat fizzed
the ball across goal for Church who kept the pressure on looking for a second, whilst AFC
searched for an equaliser that nearly came when Roberts combined well with Sullivan, the later
forcing Price into another good save. The second goal came for Church with 20 minutes left, a free
kick from the left was again not cleared properly and March was unmarked 6 yards out to blast
into the roof of the net. 5 minutes later Church should've wrapped it up, but Foster put his
close range shot against the post and Butler cleared the rebound off the line. As AFC threw
everything forward in the last 10 minutes, Roberts was guilty of missing a sitter as Isaac Cooper
crossed to the far post and the Hinckley winger somehow slid his chance past the post from a
couple of yards out. Moments later that was forgotten as Cooper again crossed deep, this time to
Francino Francis, who forced the ball over the line with Price at his feet. That gave Church a
nervous last few minutes, but they managed to hold on for 4 minutes stoppage time and completed
their League and Cup double.
click here for:
Alvechurch match details
|