RYAN NESBITT’S hat-trick inspired Alvechurch to a first win of the Southern Premier Central campaign as they crushed Hitchin Town 5-0 at Lye Meadow on Saturday.
The win was Church’s first competitive victory under Darren Byfield and leaves them with four points from their opening three matches ahead of Saturday’s visit to Hednesford Town, writes Lewis Glennon.
This was a hugely impressive display from Alvechurch, who flew out of the blocks as former Redditch United players Javia Roberts and Kevin Monteiro both fired wide off the goal within the first minute.
The breakthrough was imminent though and arrived in the seventh minute when Kyle Morrison got on the end of Jamie Willets’ knock-down to score.
Josh Ezewele then went on a brilliant run and forced a great double save from Joshua Mollison as Church continued to impress.
At the other end, 17-year-old debutant keeper Josh Bradley-Hurst was a spectator for much of the time but he impressed in claiming Hitchin’s crosses and saving comfortably from Leo Donnellan.
Alvechurch doubled their lead through sheer individual brilliance from John Atherton as the winger picked up the ball just past the halfway line and dribbled past a number of Hitchin players before slotting into the bottom-right corner to the delight of the home support.
Roberts again fired wide as Church ended the first half strongly and the momentum continued into the second period when Jordan Goddard led a brilliant counter-attack and played through Nesbitt who dinked the ball over Mollison and into the net to make it 3-0 on 47 minutes.
Mollison was on hand to once again deny Ezewele after another great run but the stopper was to blame for the hosts’ fourth goal when he dithered in possession and Nesbitt robbed him of possession before finishing from a tight angle.
The hat-trick was completed when Kyle Rowley’s goalbound header was deliberately handled on the line by Jay Dowie who was sent off before Nesbitt made no mistake from 12 yards.
