Long swoops as Alvechurch aim to bounce back from Vase pain - The Redditch Standard

Long swoops as Alvechurch aim to bounce back from Vase pain

Redditch Editorial 16th Nov, 2016 Updated: 17th Nov, 2016   0

ALVECHURCH are planning to recruit midfielder Reece Shilvock from Stourport Swifts as they look to bounce back from their FA Vase disappointment.

Manager Ian Long has challenged the Churchmen to shake off their Vase pain by showing the quality and desire of title contenders week in, week out and he was expecting to complete the signing of Shilvock from Midland Premier rivals Swifts at training last night ahead of Saturday’s trip to Rocester.

“Reece is a tenacious, competitive midfielder and he also chips in with the goals. He’s scored nine this season and that’s an area we’ve needed to improve,” said Long.

“With pitches getting heavier, his strength will be an asset.”




The Churchmen, on the back of a seven-match Midland League Premier Division winning run, were left deflated by a below-par performance in Saturday’s 2-1 second round Vase exit to fellow Midland Premier promotion hopefuls Sporting Khalsa at Lye Meadow.

Having recovered from gifting Khalsa’s Mensah Kinch a 45th-minute opener to level through Jamie Spencer’s tap-in just past the hour, Alvechurch were left stunned when another lapse ended with Dave Meese firing home the 88th-minute winner.


Long was left to bemoan the defensive blunders, but also highlighted a profligacy in front of goal. It is a lesson they must learn if the current table-toppers want to stay ahead of the rest in the Midland Premier.

With Alvechurch having played more games than all of their rivals, Long says their current top spot is a ‘false position’, but he urged his players to put together another winning sequence.

“The Vase was a big competition for us. We wanted to have a good run and we’re good enough to do that but on Saturday we weren’t,” said Long.

“We got punished for two errors but we weren’t clinical at the other end. We had enough chances.

“However, all our focus is now on the league. We had a horrendous start, suffering a hangover from last season, and we’ve made changes but I feel we are getting stronger.

“We’ve beaten Westfields, we’ve beaten Coleshill and there’s no reason why we cannot go on and win another seven or eight games on the spin.

“Lye and Westfields are in the driving seat, Khalsa are up there, Coleshill have had a good start and Coventry United aren’t out of it. They’ll be up there or thereabouts.”

Full-back Jamie Ashmore will be ruled out of Saturday’s trip to Rocester after limping out of Saturday’s Vase clash with a knee injury. He will join midfielder Ryan Winwood on the sidelines, with Winwood facing four to six weeks out with a dislocated shoulder.

Centre back Mark Smith will be fit after a knee injury while striker Danny Dubidat and playmaker Babucar Sauane will be available after being cup-tied.

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