JAMES Fry believes his side now know how to grind out results after scoring a last-minute equaliser to draw 2-2 away at Leiston.
Dylan Allen-Hadley scored a 90th minute leveller for Church after Archie Crowther equalised in the first half while Jaanai Gordon saw two penalties saved, including a retake, at Victory Road.
And after Church extended their unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions, Fry praised his side’s reaction after twice falling behind in Suffolk.
Fry said: “I’m pleased with the point in the end, both teams would probably say it could have been more, the most pleasing thing is the boys now understand how to grind out a result on a pitch like that while still providing moments of quality.
“I was really pleased with the reaction to both goals, the really pleasing thing was I didn’t see a change in our performance after going one-nil down so early, we stuck in the game, I always want more but we’ll take the point.
“When I first came in we probably would have felt sorry for ourselves, conceding off a set-piece, the lads are learning how to play on pitches like this and we look like a good, solid team no matter what the surface is.
“[Telford] will be tough, the game will be a lot different to the one at their place, we’ve got to make it not a very nice place to come in terms of our performance level.
“We’ve got to cut out those little moments where we lack concentration, we’re conceding more goals than I would like recently, if we cut them out we’re a real threat.”
Leiston took the lead after just two minutes when Jamar Loza pounced on a loose pass to race through and finish past Church goalkeeper Ronnie Hollingshead.
However, the visitors drew level on 23 minutes as Crowther tuned home Jaanai Gordon’s cut back from six-yards out.
And Church then won a penalty after DJ Campton-Sturridge drew a foul in the box only for William Johnson to save Gordon’s penalty before the former nodded home the rebound.
However, the referee ordered the spot kick to be retaken after the assistant spotted Johnson off his line when saving Gordon’s initial penalty.
And Johnson thwarted Gordon again from the spot in a remarkable couple of minutes as the teams went into the break all square.
The home side reclaimed the lead on 81 minutes as Ross Crane finished Jack Manly’s corner from the left at the back post from a couple of yards out.
However, Church equalised in the final minute of regulation time as Allen-Hadley’s shot deflected past Johnson from Jack Hallahan’s floated pass.
Alvechurch are next in action at home to AFC Telford United on Saturday, March 2 with kick-off at 3pm at Lye Meadow.
