Church continued their run of away trips in starting their Worcestershire Senior Cup campaign for the 2024/25 season.

The draw threw together last season’s finalists at the same venue as last season’s final.
It’s inconsistent form for the home side with a WWLLLW sequence in the last six games played since the date the game should have first been played.
Church’s form, has, of course been erratic too – two wins, one draw and three defeats in the last six in all competitions.

A quarter final place is at stake, with Worcester City, Redditch United, Pershore Town and Bromsgrove Sporting already having booked their places in the last eight with first round wins, and Kidderminster Harriers via a bye.

The winners of this tie would face Stourbridge or Stourport Swifts at home in the next round, whose first round tie was taking place on the same night.

There were 3 changes to the starting eleven for Church following the weekend’s 0-1 reversal in Suffolk against AFC Sudbury, with Krystian Pearce and Ammar Dyer reverting to the bench, and Charlie Wragg cup tied. Batchelor, Perry and Barnett came into the starting eleven.

And so, compared to the line up that played in the final just five months ago, only Hollingshead and Crowther started this time round compared to the starting line up for the the final. Batchelor was on the bench in April, but started this tie.

The final in April was of poor quality, and goalless after 90 minutes, relying on a penalty shootout to determine the destination of the trophy. So it would probably no surprise if this evening’s encounter eclipsed that previous game.

Well, it was certainly a better game, and Church looked more the part than they did in toiling through that final in April, and enjoyed most, if not all of the early possession and chances in this latest game.
The fact that Church eked out a 13th minute lead helped massively. A long through ball from Crowther picked out Sterling-James just inside the Evesham half, and having beaten the offside trap he tracked on and under pressure fired past keeper Harris from just outside the box to open the scoring.

Church looked a good bet to add to their score as the half wore on, and on 18 Sullivan was released with a quick flick on, and was able to drive the ball dangerously across the face of the Evesham goal before the chance was well defended to concede a corner.

Chances followed for Church in the second period, but in overall appraisal, the play was probably more even. However just two minutes in Wakefield turns and shoots on target from deep in the Evesham box, with the ball being well beaten away by Harris, before Willis drives just over from 25 yards after the lively Wakefield had laid the ball back after being set free by a strong run up the left flank by Sephton.

On 56 Hollingshead finds Wakefield with a long clearance and the Church front man tracks quickly into the home box, and shoots on the psin but sends the ball just wide of the far post.

Further half chances for Church with a Barnett low drive being turned behind by Harris, and the keeper also foiling substitute Dyer after being set free by Sullivan late on, with a smart save low to his right.

Evesham enjoyed some better possession in the second half, and were more successful in getting the ball forward more quickly, but in all honesty there was little to trouble Hollingshead throughout this period.