Football
Boss is pleased with Alvechurch

ALVECHURCH manager Vaughan Pearshouse has been pleased with what he has seen in pre-season so far as the countdown to the Midland Alliance season continues.

The Lye Meadow side drew 0-0 at home to Bromsgrove Sporting on Saturday before a 2-1 loss at home to Halesowen Town on Tuesday.

Despite not seeing a victory, there were plenty of positives for Alvechurch though.

The home fans were delighted to see that many of the squad who finished the 2011/12 campaign so well for Alvechurch were back on the field on Saturday, including the impressive Scott Smith at the back.

Joe Wright was busy up front and goalkeeper Richard Taylor marked his return with some impressive saves.

Alvechurch were more impressive on Tuesday but were undone by two Halesowen goals in a ten-minute period in the first half.

Just as he was on Saturday, Luke Dugmore was again dominant in midfield and the hosts attacked with real menace.

However, they were only able to strike once despite their best efforts, in the 53rd minute when Andy Nicol beat the Halesowen keeper to the ball on the edge of the box and lifted it on to the head of Wright who nodded home from six yards.

Meanwhile, former Bromsgrove Sporting assistant manager and coach Mark Whitehouse has joined the football management team for the coming season at Lye Meadow.

Whitehouse is an ‘A’ licenced coach and brings a wealth of footballing knowledge with him. As a player he enjoyed a very successful career with Kidderminster Harriers and Worcester City, where he was a prolific goalscorer.

Whitehouse joins Ross Thorpe, Tony Workman, Dougie Griffiths and Pearshouse to complete the managerial team.

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