ALVECHURCH were last night (Thursday) hoping to put aside their league frustrations by booking a cup final date at Molineux.
Lee Knight’s side ended their Midland Football League Premier Division campaign with a 3-0 defeat at AFC Wulfrunians – their seventh defeat in the last 11- to finish 15th in the table.
However, last night they returned to Castlecroft Stadium to face Evo-Stik Northern Division One South side Tividale in the semi-finals of the JW Hunt Cup. The winners will play Stone Old Alleynians in the final at Molineux on a date to be arranged.
Alvechurch were hardly helped at Wulfs by having to field midfielder Michael McGrath in goal, although he was blameless for the three goals.
A blunder, however, from Toby Checketts led to Wulfs’ first goal after just eight minutes. His weak pass left McGrath exposed and Andrew Thompson slotted home the first of his hat-trick.
A second goal followed on the half hour mark when Thompson side-footed home from 18 yards.
McGrath came to Alvechurch’s rescue with two excellent saves but he was again helpless on 59 minutes when Thompson nicked the ball from Aaron Roberts and fired home on the run.
Alvechurch rallied and Connor Deards fired a dipping free kick just over before substitute Ben Markall sent a 20-drive cannoning off the Wulfs upright with the keeper well beaten, but once again it was not to be Alvechurch’s day in front of goal.
Last Thursday, Dmitri Dunkley netted Alvechurch’s equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with relegated Heath Hayes in the final home game of the season.
James Russell had given Heath Hayes the lead on 27 minutes, dispatching a low volley past keeper Stuart Parsons.
However, Alvechurch dominated the second half and, after Deards fired over, Dunkley broke the offside trap to race from the halfway line and slot home from the edge of the area.
The hosts, however, ended with ten men after Luke Dugmore was sent off for retaliation on 75 minutes in a game that again demonstrated Alvechurch’s frustration in the final third.
