RONNIE Hollingshead saved an injury-time penalty to send 10-man Alvechurch through to the FA Trophy First Round Proper following a 2-1 win at divisional rivals Spalding United.
Hollingshead kept out Bartosz Cybulski’s 92nd minute penalty after David Solademi forced home the winner for Church on 88 minutes at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
That came after Callum Sullivan opened the scoring for Church on 51 minutes before Dan Sweeney saw red for two yellow cards two minutes later.
The win means Alvechurch are in the hat for the First Round Proper draw which takes place at 1pm on Monday, October 7.
Church broke the deadlock six minutes after the interval as Sullivan bundled the ball home to score his first goal for the club after Spalding failed to deal with Sweeney’s low ball in from the right.
However, Sweeney then received a second yellow card two minutes later following an aerial challenge with a Spalding player.
Spalding eventually made the extra man count on 76 minutes as Joseph Nyahwema’s cross from the right squirmed in at Hollingshead’s near post who collided with the post as he tried to keep the ball out.
Church reclaimed the lead two minutes from time when Solademi forced the ball home after Spalding failed to clear a corner from the right.
The home side won a penalty in injury time only for Hollingshead to save Cybulski’s tame penalty with his legs as Church held on to book their place in the next round.
Alvechurch are next in action against Evesham United in the Worcestershire Senior Cup on Tuesday, October 8 with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Spiers and Hartwell Stadium.
