Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Kieran Wakefield's 81st-minute winner earned Alvechurch a 3-2 pre-season friendly victory at Boldmere St Michaels as Church came from behind after squandering a two-goal lead.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryBoldmere St Michaels 2-3 Alvechurch: Wakefield's late winner maintains Church's unbeaten pre-season start
Kieran Wakefield's 81st-minute strike earned Alvechurch a 3-2 victory at Boldmere St Michaels on Monday night, keeping the Southern League side unbeaten through three pre-season friendlies.
How it unfolded
Alvechurch started the brighter of the two sides and took the lead through a trialist on 19 minutes. Two minutes later, Emmanuel Ilesanmi doubled the visitors' advantage, leaving Boldmere facing a two-goal deficit inside the opening quarter-hour at the Amber Arena.
Boldmere responded well. They halved the deficit on 31 minutes and then equalised deep into first-half stoppage time, sending the teams in level at 2-2 at the break.
The turning point
The momentum shifted decisively in Alvechurch's favour through Wakefield's 81st-minute winner. The forward collected the ball, drove beyond the Boldmere goalkeeper and finished to restore Church's lead with nine minutes remaining. Boldmere could not find a second equaliser.
Key performers
Kieran Wakefield (Alvechurch) — The match-winner with a composed 81st-minute finish, taking the ball past the goalkeeper to seal the points. Wakefield re-signed for Alvechurch ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Emmanuel Ilesanmi (Alvechurch) — Scored Alvechurch's second goal just two minutes after the opener, giving Church a commanding early lead. Also returned to the club for the new season.
Trialist F (Alvechurch) — Opened the scoring on 19 minutes in what was a trial appearance for the club.
By the numbers
Alvechurch's five goals in their opening three pre-season fixtures (wins against Boldmere and two other unnamed opponents) suggest a side finding its rhythm in the final third. The 2-2 half-time scoreline — Boldmere scoring twice after falling 2-0 down — points to a resilience issue that Church addressed after the break, keeping Boldmere scoreless in the second half.
What it means
Alvechurch remain unbeaten in pre-season ahead of their next friendly at home to Shepshed Dynamo on Saturday 18 July (3pm kick-off at Lye Meadow). Boldmere, who play in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands (Step 4), continue their own preparations for the 2026/27 campaign.
Verdict
A lively pre-season friendly that swung sharply in both directions. Alvechurch's early two-goal burst was cancelled out before half-time, but Wakefield's composure in the closing stages — and Boldmere's failure to score after the break — proved the difference. The result extends Church's perfect start to pre-season.
Match Events
Key match events between Boldmere St. Michaels and Alvechurch — 5 goals and 0 cards recorded during the match.
Rivalry since 2022
Boldmere St. Michaels vs Alvechurch Head to Head Results· 1
Boldmere St. Michaels and Alvechurch have met 1 times — Boldmere St. Michaels won 0, Alvechurch won 1, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2022. Alvechurch leads the head-to-head with 1 victory from 1 meeting. A combined 2 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.00 per match (0 for the home side, 2 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 0 matches (0%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 0 games (0%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 2–0 in 2022.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 15 Jul 2026