Birmingham Senior Cup Second Round – Tuesday 2 December 2025
A heart-warming game on a freezing evening gave us eight goals, and an encouraging performance from the Mikes, who actually led for two periods of the match. You could tell which team played at the higher level, and the Church began by bossing the affair, and winning the 50/50 challenges. Even so, when Boldmere had their first attacking move, on three minutes, newly returned Jack Burgess was hacked down, twenty yards out. Taking the free kick himself, the ball found its way through a four-man wall to give the hosts an early lead.
Some last-ditch stuff kept the visitors at bay; and on twenty-eight minutes, Boldmere went further ahead, a Ben George free kick was headed back across goal by Pedro Lima, Connor Armstrong shot being converted by Freddie Cockerell smartly turning home from close in. Was this going to be their night? A presage of what was to come arrived just before half time, when lofty Church stopper Jessy Bavaganga headed home at the far post from a left-hand corner: not an unknown phenomenon this season! In added time, it was nearly two apiece, as six consecutive headers ping-ponged the ball around the box, and off the line, before being cleared away. The visitors were convinced the ball had crossed the line, but it would have been a harsh decision to award it. Half time: 2-1.
We’d been going again for four minutes when matters were levelled. An accurate lob was latched onto by Elliott Dugan, who headed home via the underside of the bar. Not to be deterred, within a minute, Fraser Doyle winning the ball in midfield feeding Cockerell down the right and his cross was side footed home by Ben Lund. People were getting battered, and replaced, from here on, the greatly knocked about Pedro Lima limping off with a quarter of an hour’s standard time left.
Two periods of packed manic defence kept the Southern Leaguers at bay until a quarter of an hour remained. As can happen when the pressure’s on, a Pierre Phillips foul conceded a penalty, which Tope Obadeyi duly converted. The siege of Boldmere continued, and eventually the walls were breached. Three ineffective attempts to clear the ball let in Sam Perry, who slammed home from close in. 3-4!
The sands of time running low, Boldmere threw everything forward, a mass of white shirts inhabiting our guests’ eighteen-yard line, Church happy to bang the ball aimlessly upfield. In the end, the inevitable happened. A smart break down the left caught Boldmere lacking defensive personnel, and ten seconds from time, Dieter Schwarm efficiently guided the cross home. So, no more interest in the Senior Cup this season; but a performance (and a strengthening squad) which could keep Level Four football at Church Road next season.
Boldmere St Michaels: Jonathan Brown; Ben George (Kye Bilton, 65); Brett Lloyd (Jordan Gough, 82); Aris Christophorou; Pedro Lima (Pierre Phillips, 59); Connor Armstrong (Charlie Manners, 54); Jack Burgess; Fraser Doyle; Kyle Byrne (Frankie Ealing, 54); Ben Lund; Freddie Cockerell.
Alvechurch: Redman Evans; Josh Dugmore; Jessy Bavaganga (Krystian Pearce, 82); Will Merrett; Ethan Sephton; Kieran Wakefield (Jonny Ngandu, 46); Akai Bonnick (Tope Obadeyi, 73); Sam Perry; Joe Willis; Louie Clifford (Callum Sullivan, 46); Elliott Dugan (Dieter Schwarm, 78).