Football
Alvechurch are the Wright stuff over Easter

ALVECHURCH are back out of the Midland Alliance bottom three after enjoying an entertaining and profitable Easter.

Joe Wright continued his fine form since his recent switch from Stratford Town as he bagged a hat-trick to seal a 3-2 victory at high-flying Causeway United on Saturday, before the Lye Meadow men twice hit back from two-goal deficits to earn a 3-3 draw at home to local rivals Studley on Monday.

Saturday's encounter was a thrilling affair which the visitors deserved to win, although Causeway played their part in a fine match.

Numerous chances had already come and gone at both ends before Wright gave Alvechurch a 34th minute lead with a crisp finish following an excellent through ball from strike partner Andy Nicol.

However, Causeway were in no mood to lie down and struck twice within the next four minutes to take the lead as first Sam Beasley took advantage of hesitant defending to level and then Danny Priest capped a fine move down the right with an angled shot which flew past Alvechurch keeper Lewis Gwilliams.

Alvechurch are made of sterner stuff these days though and were back on level terms in the 52nd minute when Nicol carried the ball down the right flank and to the byline before delivering an inviting cross that was soundly converted by a firm header from Wright from ten yards.

In the 74th minute Belgian Kevin Borrey rattled the outside of the post from close range but Alvechurch were not to be denied and bagged all three points seven minutes from time when a great run and cross by Elliot Nash found Dave Glaze 25 yards out and his mishit shot found Wright in a good position inside the Causeway box and the latter made no mistake with a rasping shot into the far corner for his hat-trick.

On Monday Alvechurch appeared to be heading for defeat for long periods but battled hard to deny Studley maximum spoils.

The Bees made all the early running and Jamie Bailey had already spurned a gilt-edged chance before they took a fourth minute lead when a free kick was awarded on the left and ex-Alvehurch player Danny Rolfe took the set piece kick.

The hosts believed the referee had not blown his whistle and the home defence and keeper Gwilliams stood still and just watched the ball roll into the corner of the net, but the effort was allowed to stand.

It was almost 2-0 in the tenth minute when only a last-ditch tackle by Adam Humphries denied Lei Brown after he had been put through by Joe Adams, but the lead was doubled in the 12th minute when Humphries - attempting to clear - put the ball into his own net.

Gradually Alvechurch got their act together after a dominant start by the Bees and Wright reduced the hosts' arrears with a goal in the first minute of first half stoppage time as he cutely back-heeled the ball past Studley keeper Richard Taylor.

It looked as though Studley had clinched all three points and virtual league survival for themselves when Adams powered a 72nd minute strike past Gwilliams having been set up by excellent approach work by Brown and Bailey.

However, substitute Ben Judd's 77th minute corner was met by a bullet header from Tom Elder which made it 3-2 and the score was level five minutes later when Wright capped a period of pressure from the hosts with another good finish.

With four matches remaining - the first of which is a visit to an out of form Dunkirk tomorrow before Ellesmere Rangers head to Lye Meadow on Thursday - Alvechurch now sit above third from bottom Atherstone Town on goal difference with a game in hand but have four teams just three points or less above them in the table.

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