Football
Big week awaits Alvechurch

AN IMPORTANT week of action awaits Alvechurch as they seek to kick-start their bid for Midland Alliance survival.

Achieving a first home win of the league season against title-chasing Westfields tomorrow will be a tall order, but they will go into the contest buoyed by having booked their place in the final of the Worcestershire Senior Urn courtesy of a 1-0 home win over West Midlands Premier Division outfit Lye Town at Lye Meadow on Tuesday.

The solitary goal arrived early in the match when a cross into the box was nodded on by striker Keith Rostill to winger Elliot Nash who finished neatly into the corner of the net from 15 yards.

Then on Tuesday a crucial match awaits second bottom Alvechurch as Highgate United - currently a place and four points above them having played a game more - visit Lye Meadow.

Alvechurch's survival hopes were not helped on Saturday when another side in the relegation mix - Atherstone Town - boosted their own bid to beat the drop with a convincing 4-1 victory at Studley in which the hosts' only consolation was a 70th minute penalty from midfielder Paul O'Brien.

Studley, who have now lost five successive league matches, were then denied the chance to bounce back instantly when their own Worcestershire Senior Urn semi-final at Bewdley Town on Tuesday fell victim to a waterlogged pitch.

The Bees, who have a league visit to Tividale tomorrow, continue their quest for silverware in another competition when they host county rivals Stratford Town in the quarter-finals of the Polymac Services League Cup on Tuesday.