A FIVE-GOAL show got Alvechurch’s win tally up and running in Southern Premier Central at the fourth attempt as they thrashed Barwell 5-0 on Tuesday night.
Jake Wakeling’s treble set Church on their way to a first league win since New Year’s Day – ending a 14-game winless streak – with Tyrell Hamilton and an own goal adding to the scoring.
The result comes as a huge relief for Ian Long’s men and arrives just days after they sensationally knocked National League North opposition Kidderminster Harriers out of the FA Cup 4-2 on penalties, following a 2-2 draw in regulation time at Lye Meadow.
It took Alvechurch 24 minutes to get up and running in Leicestershire in midweek after a dominant opening, when Mitch Botfield’s cross found the head of Joe Hull whose effort flew into the far corner via a deflection.
A second and third then followed to effectively kill off the game before half-time.
Wakeling notched his first of the night when shifting the ball past a defender into the penalty area, before dispatching with precision across Max Bramley into the corner.
The Church hitman was at it again five minutes later – showing real instinct inside the penalty area to control and then finish instinctively after receiving Jamie Willets’ knock-down.
Any threat offered by Barwell was efficiently snuffed out by the visitors’ rearguard as the second half progressed, with the most pleasing aspect for Long perhaps being Church’s willingness to chase further goals instead of players resting on their laurels.
The fourth of the night on 63 minutes was again well-worked. Mason Birch’s drilled cross intended for Kevin Da Veiga Monteiro missed the forward, but was finished off gratefully by Wakeling to complete his hat-trick.
Tristan Dunkley’s sending off meant matters went from bad to worse for the hosts with 11 minutes left to play, although a glaring miss by Brady Hickey came as a let-off for Church with Jono Brown’s goal gaping.
Hamilton smashed home a rebound after Hull’s initial header was cleared with four minutes remaining to complete the rout – a result which Church will want to build on when hosting Tamworth on Saturday.
If Long’s side are to claim three points this weekend they will have to make sure to stay alert until the last blast of the referee’s whistle given the Lambs’ stunning 2-2 draw with Bromsgrove Sporting last time out in which two stoppage-time goals from Shaquille McDonald snatched a draw.
Alvechurch will visit Northern Premier League side Ilkeston Town on Tuesday, October 13 in the FA Cup third qualifying round. Go online to www.redditchstandard.co.uk/sport for a report on Saturday’s win over Harriers.
