ALVECHURCH missed the chance to retain the Worcestershire Senior Cup after suffering a 3-1 defeat against lower-division Worcester City in the final.
Church went into the break level after Joe Willis cancelled out Felix Miles’ early strike at Malvern Town’s HDAnywhere Community Stadium.
However, Zac Guinan put City back in front after the break before Miles scored a superb third goal to leave Tim Flowers’ side stunned.
Alvechurch missed the chance to become the first club to retain the Senior Cup for the first time in a decade.
Worcester broke the deadlock with the first meaningful attack of the game on nine minutes when Miles received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and showed excellent footwork before blasting a shot into the bottom left corner.
However, Church drew level on 20 minutes when Callum Sullivan’s free-kick deflected into the path of Willis who flashed a shot into the bottom left corner.
And Alvechurch almost completed the turnaround soon after when Sullivan delivered a low corner from the right only for Haydn Whitcombe to keep out Willis’s powerful first time effort.
City went close to reclaiming the lead early in the second half as Miles sent another low curling effort towards goal with Ronnie Hollingshead equal to the shot.
And Worcester went back in front on 51 minutes when Miles floated a cross in from the right and Guinan rose highest to head home from close range after Church failed to deal with an initial free-kick from the left.
Worcester remained on top as Hollingshead headed a loose ball into the path of Sopuruchukwu Obieri who blazed a shot wide of the target from distance with the Church goalkeeper way off his line.
And City struck again on 55 minutes when the ball dropped to Miles 20-yards from goal and the attacking midfielder fired a sensational half-volley into the left corner of the goal.
Worcester almost wrapped up the game soon after when a pass in-behind released Kyle Belmonte who sent a powerful effort inches past the post from distance.
Church searched for a way back into the game as Dan Sweeney saw his audacious lob curl away from the posts after City failed to clear a ball in-behind the defence.
And Worcester goalkeeper Whitcombe then produced a crucial save to deny Sweeney from close range when one-on-one.
Alvechurch had plenty of possession late on but failed to find a way through a stubborn City defence as Church surrendered their grip on the trophy.
