TIM Flowers praised his side’s doggedness after Alvechurch started the season with a goalless draw away at Stamford.
Flowers handed debuts to six players at the Zeeco Stadium with neither side able to break the deadlock.
The result leaves Alvechurch 12th in the Southern League Premier Central table.
And Flowers was pleased to come away with a point after Stamford did the double over Church last season.
Flowers said: “It was a really hard-fought, hard scrap. The wind was blowing down the pitch, we opted to kick with it in the first half.
“We didn’t have many chances, a couple of long range shots which tested the goalkeeper.
“We did the horrible nuts and bolts of football. There won’t be many teams who come here and take much from the game.
“We had the wind in our face in the second half and we defended quite well. They had a couple of chances at the end.
“We got beat here last year and never laid a glove on them. It’s a really good point on the road.”
Chances were at a premium in the first half as Tope Obadeyi saw his effort from the edge of the penalty saved by Tom Jackson.
Obadeyi went close again shortly before half time as he forced Jackson into a save at full stretch.
After the break, substitute Jonathan Ngandu delivered a dangerous free-kick into the box with Church unable to force the ball home.
Stamford almost snatched the points at the death only for Church’s debutant goalkeeper Redman Evans to make a crucial double save.
However, Church held firm to claim a point on the opening day of the season.
Alvechurch are next in action against Bromsgrove Sporting on Tuesday, August 12 with kick-off at 7.45pm at Lye Meadow.
