ALVECHURCH booked their place in successive Worcestershire Senior Cup finals with a 1-0 victory against local rivals Bromsgrove Sporting.
A first-half goal from Archie Crowther settled the derby clash at the Victoria Ground as current holders Church reached a second successive Senior Cup showpiece.
Church have now won twice at the Victoria Ground this season following a league success back in November while Sporting have now failed to win any of their last four home matches in all competitions.
Sporting started the game with 10-men after former Church man Jamie Soule picked up an injury in the warm-up with Theo Robinson taking his place on the field after just three minutes.
The home side created the first meaningful chance of the game with Church goalkeeper Ronnie Hollingshead forced to tip Jack Newall’s low ball in from the right to safety.
However, the visitors took the lead on 22 minutes when Crowther headed home Bradley Stretton’s corner from the right from close range.
And Alvechurch almost doubled their lead moments later as former Sporting defender Ammar Dyer burst down the left and curled a shot inches past the post.
Church spurned another glorious chance just past the half-hour mark when Dan Sweeney played a superb reverse pass into the path of Dyer who burst into the box and curled a low shot narrowly wide of the target.
A flashpoint arose soon after when Reece King made a strong challenge on Stretton close to the touchline with the Sporting midfielder shown a yellow card by the referee.
Sporting almost drew level early in the second half as Carter Lycett poked a shot inches past the post from a tight angle after Church failed to deal with a long ball into the box.
And the Rouslers went close again moments later when Jamie Meddows played in Robinson only for Hollingshead to make a crucial save when one-on-one.
At the other end, Charlie Price comfortably held Kieran Wakefield’s deflected effort while Newall showed excellent footwork on the edge of the Church penalty area before firing a tame shot straight at Hollingshead.
Sporting spurned another chance to equalise when the ball broke to Jordan Lyden in the box only for the midfielder to miss his kick with Hollingshead stranded.
Another chance came and went for the home side as the Rouslers took a short free-kick and Lycett drilled a shot towards goal through a crowd of bodies with Hollingshead equal to the effort.
Church then launched a counter attack as Price denied Sweeney one-on-one before Ash Carter made a sensational block to deny substitute Shay Willock who had the goal at his mercy.
The two teams traded chances in the closing stages as Church held on to book a final date against Northern Premier League Midlands side Worcester City.
The post FOOTBALL – Alvechurch book place in Worcestershire Senior Cup final with derby win at Bromsgrove Sporting appeared first on The Redditch Standard.