Promotion Challengers Battle It Out This Evening

The top two teams in the Midland Premier League meet this evening in a game that has been eagerly awaited by both teams.

Alvechurch and Hereford were due to meet on Easter Monday but after an early pitch inspection the game was called off. Some felt it might have taken place had the inspection taken place later.

The game has been re-arranged to take place this evening. It's not often games take place on a Thursday evening but this date was one of only two or three that both clubs could manage given the back-log of fixtures.

Hereford, in particular, have very few dates available. Their fixture list reads:

Thurs April 7th - A - Alvechurch
Sat April 9th - H - Brocton
Wed April 13th - A - Continental Star
Sat April 16th - A - Quorn
Tue April 19th - A - Sporting Khalsa
Thur April 21 - A - Midland League Cup SF  1st Leg Stourport Swifts
Sat April 23rd - H - Heanor
Mon April 25th - A - Coventry Sphinx
Thurs April 28th - H - Midland League Cup SF 2nd Leg Stourport Swifts
Sat April 30th - A - Shepshed
Mon May 2nd - H - Westfields (HFA Cup Final)
Sun May 22rd - Wembley - Morpeth (FA VASE FINAL)

And that list doesn't include the Midland League Cup Final should they get past Stourbridge Swifts. 

Alvechurch don't have quite as many games but have to play third placed Sporting Khalsa twice.

Thurs 7th Hereford (H)

Sat 9th Long Eaton United (H)
Wed 13th Bromsgrove Sporting - WFA Urn Final @ Evesham 19:45
Sat 16th Sporting Khalsa (A)
Tue 19th Brocton (H) 19:45
Sat 23rd Bardon Hill (H)
Tue 26th Sporting Khalsa (H) 19:45
Sat 30th Coleshill Town (A)

Alvechurch go into tonight's game after a 2-0 away win at Highgate last Tuesday whereas Hereford won a difficult home game against Walsall Wood 2-1.

The pitch will almost certainly favour the home side given its slopes and rough surface. Playing football the Hereford way might prove difficult, something that manager Peter Beadle will no doubt take into account in selecting his starting eleven.   

Earlier this week Alvechurch manager Ian Long suggested Hereford might have benefitted from referee's decisions.

"I am worried that Hereford seem to be getting some help from referees," he said.

Beadle countered this.

"How many penalties have they had lately?"

The referee for the game is Kevin Carroll. His assistants are Paul Rodway and Adrian Scriven.

Carroll from Birmingham was the referee who called off the original fixture.

There is likely to be a higher level of security at the game. It's understood there will be some stewards who often work at Birmingham FC along with a handful from Hereford.

Parking is expected to be difficult so the advice has to be to reach the area in good time. There might be a walk of ten or so minutes to the ground. 

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