May 6th

Alvechurch 3 Southam Town 1 (H.T. 1-0) An exciting game , full of skilful and entertaining football.Church started strongly and had an effort hit a post and then scrambled off the line in the very first minute, this set the trend for the opening quarter of an hour with Simon Rose going close twice and a John Sewell effort hitting the bar. Eventually Church took a deserved lead after 15 minutes when a Ben Harris corner fell invitingly for Luke James to hook in from ten yards. Southam began to creep back into the game as half time approached, hitting the bar from a free kick just before the break, when Church made their substitutions, Simon Bayley coming on for an unusually quiet Luke Hallahan and Mark Giles replacing Luke "Lazarus" James who was carrying a knock but who had already done damage to Southam. After the interval Southam came out very strongly and kept Church on the backfoot for the opening 5 minutes and equalised with a well struck free kick from the edge of the box. The Church defence of Chris Parish,Ben Harris,Sean Maddison and Kyle Suggars had to dig in deep to prevent any further joy for Southam and having weathered the intimidating storm Church began to play their neat flowing football that they are renowned for. Mid way through the half Southam conceded a free kick just ten yards inside their own half and up stepped Ben Harris to strike an unstoppable effort to put Church back in front. Try as they might Southam couldn’t get back into the game such was the tenacious tackling of the Church central midfield of David Lindsay and Franc Kokaj and their defence. With just five minutes remaining a telepathic flick from Simon Rose found John Sewell on the half way line who then beat off the defenders and raced clear, committed the keeper and casually slotted the ball home to put Alvechurchs’ hands firmly on the Cup. Nathan Woodward pulled off a world class save immediately afterwards but that was Southams last offering with Mark Giles hitting a post in the final moments as Church understandably dictated the remaining minutes. A celebration was held afterwards at the Bramley Cottage