"Bucks faithful looking for victory over the Church"

Match Date : October 24th, 2023 7:45 pm
Competition : Southern League Premier Central
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 19:45

AFC Telford take on Alvechurch under the lights at the New Bucks Head on Tuesday night.

The Church are noted for giving youth a chance, offering youngsters a platform to launch themselves back up the pyramid. This summer saw the departures of defender Harry Williams (Walsall), midfielder Áurio Teixeira (Hereford) and striker Jamie Soule (Weston-Super-Mare), all of whom are under 23. Two former Bucks midfielders in the shape of Tom Edge (24) and Jed Abbey (21) also jumped up a division with Boston United and South Shields respectively, while Alvechurch also lost star striker Danny Waldron to Rushall in the summer.

With a raft of other departures, it was a summer of rebuilding for the Worcestershire club. Perhaps as a result, the Alvechurch got off to a very inconsistent start. Having finished last season in 11th, the Church alternated between victory to defeat before a heavy FA Cup defeat at the hands of Halesowen in mid-September saw then-manager Ian Long given the boot. And Alvechurch’s form has picked up dramatically since the change in management.

The Church have gone on a five-match unbeaten run in all competitions, conceding just three goals in that time. Caretakers Richard Colwell and Matt Kirby oversaw the first two of those games before James Fry took the reins. And Fry, who was coaching in Birmingham City’s academy, has steered his side to three wins from three since taking over – not bad for his first job in management.

Despite their initially inconsistent form, Alvechurch actually have one of the league’s best home records, picking up 14 points from a possible 18 at Lye Meadow this season. On the road it had been an altogether different story, with the Church losing all five of their away games under Long. However, Alvechurch are currently unbeaten in three on their travels and picked up their first away league win of the season last time out at high-flying Stamford; albeit at a cost, as they ended the game with nine men.

Kevin Wilkin’s men put in an improved performance against Stratford in their most recent outing at the New Bucks Head, and the Bucks will be aiming for a similar result this Tuesday. If any further motivation were needed, a win would lift the Bucks above Alvechurch in the table.

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MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Tickets for Tuesday’s fixture will remain on sale up until kick-off and are available for purchase online.