Football VAVEL

Cheltenham Town 1-2 Alvechurch: Waldron double helps The Church to FA Cup shocker

Seventh tier Alvechurch pulled off the biggest surprise of the FA Cup first round so far, defeating a Cheltenham side 96 places above them.

Cheltenham Town 1-2 Alvechurch: Waldron double helps The Church to FA Cup shocker
Photo: Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images
john-lupo
By John Lupo

A double by Danny Waldron saw Southern Premier Central side Alvechurch stun League One outfit Cheltenham Town 2-1 in the first round of the FA Cup at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium.

Alvechurch were the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, 96 places lower than their hosts and looked the more dangerous of the two sides early on.

They were to go in front when a mistake by Caleb Taylor was pounced on by Waldron, who beat Luke Southwood.

Five minutes after halftime, the Church doubled their advantage as Waldron tapped in after a shot by Tyrell Hamilton had hit the post.

Cheltenham pulled one back on 54 minutes when Ryan Jackson scored on the half-volley to the back post, but Alvechurch held on for a memorable upset.

Story of the match

The Church had the opening chance of the match, Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton seeing his central free-kick from 25 yards out fly over the crossbar.

Soon after, Cheltenham had an opportunity through James Olaynika, who picked up from 30 yards, but his curling effort from the edge of the box was deflected out for a corner.

Ryan Broom made space for himself down the right where Olaynika was waiting at the penalty spot, but his effort was wide of the right post.

The Robins kept up the pressure, Taylor's header from close range forcing Alvechurch goalkeeper Daniel Jezeph into a diving save to his right.

Against the run of play, the visitors were in front. Waldron picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box, raced by a defender and slotted past Southwood.

The hosts were forced into a change on the half-hour mark, Ben Williams coming off injured, to be replaced by Dan Nlundulu. The stirker then won a corner that Taylor headed wide.

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Three minutes from halftime, Broom set up Olaynika from close range, but he was denied by the brilliant Jezeph.

Five minutes into the second half, the Church doubled their lead. A shot by Jack Concannon from the top of the box rebounded off the post, but Waldron was on hand to bundle over.

In the 54th minute, the Robins halved the deficit as a cross from the left eluded everyone, Jackson firing home on the half-volley into the far bottom corner from eight yards away.

Cheltenham manager Wade Elliott threw on Alfie May and Christian Norton in a double change with Daniel Adshead and George Lloyd departing.

Norton found space down the right, set up Broom, but the Welshman went over with his strike.

The hosts thought they had equalized as Norton headed in Taylor's ball back across goal from close range, but referee Robert Lewis and his assistant deemed that the ball didn't cross the line.

In the 80th minute, Cheltenham were forced down to ten men as Jackson came off through injury, but the Robins used all their substitutes and were unable to replace him.

Tom Edge nearly put the game to bed for the visitors in second-half stoppage time, but Southwood saved and Cheltenham's misery was complete when Nlundulu limped off.

Player of the match: Danny Waldron (Alvechurch)