FOOTBALL: ALVECHURCH failed to make it a hat-trick of wins against Sporting Khalsa as they missed out on a place in the JW Hunt Cup final.
The Churchmen had completed a league double over the Walsall side as the Midland Premier runners-up finished 15 points clear of the third-placed side.
But Khalsa progressed to the Molineux final with a 2-1 victory in the last week’s semi-final at AFC Wulfs.
Sporting took just six minutes to get the opening goal when Lee Wherton pinged in a free-kick and Kristian Green, who had ended the season with Stourbridge, glanced his header past keeper Paul Evans.
Jordan Nadat led Alvechurch’s reply, forcing keeper James Pemberton into two fine saves, and Andy Parsons had another effort pushed away fro a corner.
But Alvechurch were rewarded with an equaliser on 31 minutes. Nadat was pushed to the ground by Tes Robinson and Danny Ashton sent Pemberton the wrong way from the penalty spot.
If Alvechurch had been the better side in the first half, then roles were reversed after the break.
Khalsa’s Joe Rogers had a shot save by Green but fortune smiled on Sporting on 64 minutes. Wherton capitalised when a clearance fell into his path and his deflected shot left Evans with no chance.
Mensah Kinch should have made it 3-1 six minutes later, only to somehow miss the target from Marvin Nisbett’s cross.
Khalsa will now play Wolves Sporting in the final on Wednesday, kick-off 7.30pm.
