Basford United boss Steve Chettle full of praise for teen after FA Vase win

The 17-year-old academy striker replaced Kane Richards with eight minutes remaining and tapped home the opener with his first touch after good work by Matt Thornhill before Marcus Marshall’s header sealed a 2-1 win.

Kieran Cook salvaged an injury time consolation for Church.

And whilst Chettle admitted the scoreline was a little close for comfort in the end, he was full of emotion for Hines who will now have full focus on their all-important FA Youth Cup match against Port Vale on Wednesday.

“I thought we were very good today. The first half we were excellent, and we just needed to convert chances,” Chettle said.

“One of the things I wrote in the dressing room to the players before the game was to be clinical in front of goal and if we had done that today, it would have been a little easier but I am pleased with the win again and we’re now through to the next round of the Trophy.

“I am delighted for Wayde. He has only played cameo parts in all of the games he has featured in, but he has been around the group for a while now and has done fantastic for us.

“We have had another first year scholar in Rory Harrison on the pitch today, too, but for Wayde to score a crucial and much-needed goal for us is brilliant.

“I am excited for him and the academy lads to go to Vale Park on Wednesday and pit our wits against a Football League side and to see how we get on - we hope we do ourselves proud.”

In a game dominated by Basford throughout, Alvechurch called upon their impressive ‘keeper Matt Sargeant who pulled off a number of superb saves to keep his team in it and he was relied on as early as the sixth minute when he tipped Ryan Wilson’s free kick onto the post.

Moments later, some fine work down the right between Callum Chettle and James Clifton saw the latter’s fierce shot palmed over before Kyle Dixon had Sargeant beaten only for Mason Birch to hack clear off the line.

Another dangerous Wilson corner was met by Brad Gascoigne – making his first start for the club in the absence of the suspended Lewis Carr – who was denied shortly after and Sargeant again did well ten minutes before the break to thwart another Wilson effort.

Wilson then smashed another set piece off the foot of the post which had manager Chettle questioning whether it was going to be their day.

Chances continued to remain aplenty in the second period and Sargeant had to be on toes within 30 seconds of the restart when Kane Richards’ downward header was collected at the second attempt before he did fantastically to deny Marshall with a sprawling point-blank save following Wilson’s dangerous delivery minutes later.

Alvechurch struggled to contain Basford’s impressive movement up front all afternoon and, on the hour, Chettle saw an effort drag wide after he skipped past substitute Ethan Sephton.

The visitors did eventually register only their second attempt on goal when Mitch Botfield’s audacious lob from his own half had an otherwise quiet Kieran Preston scrambling but it was as good as it got for them as they again faced relentless pressure.

Richards went close with a deflected effort that curled just wide but, as time ticked, substitute Hines found himself all alone in the six-yard box to tap his first senior goal for the club into an empty net after Thornhill’s cross had squirmed its way through.

And United ensured their name went into the hat for Monday’s draw only two minutes later when Wilson’s persistence and endeavour yielded a fine deep cross for Marshall to powerfully head past Sargeant to seal a sixth consecutive win in all competitions.

Cook provided a scare on Halloween deep into stoppage time with a thunderous effort that whistled past Preston to reduce the deficit, but Chettle was pleased with the result despite leaving it late.

“We had a lot of chances that we didn’t take in the first half. Then Chetts [son, Callum] goes through one-on-one in the second and we the ‘keeper save one from a yard out and then you start to think whether this is going to be one of those afternoons,” he added.

“But I’m thrilled we have ultimately scored those two goals in that short space of the time so late on and it is a good victory for us.”

BASFORD UNITED: Kieran Preston, James Clifton, Ryan Wilson, Declan Dunn, Brad Gascoigne, Dom Roma (c), Kyle Dixon (Rory Harrison 89’), Callum Chettle, Marcus Marshall, Kane Richards (Wayde Hines 82’), Rev James (Matt Thornhill 72’)SUBS (not used): Niall Towle, Sam Newell, Jordan Haywood, Jordan Pierrpont (GK)

CAUTIONS: Dixon (deliberate handball 45’), Richards (foul 75’)

ALVECHURCH: Matt Sargeant, Jake Walker, Mason Birch (Ethan Sephton 43’), Tom Turton, Joe Hull, Jamie Willets (c), Dominic Brown-Hill, Mitch Botfield, Jake Wakeling (Dylan Barkers 83’), Sam McLintock (Jack Downing 60’), Kieran CookSUBS (not used): Ben Cassidy, Jack Birch, Tom Chamberlain

ATTENDANCE: 291