MIDLAND FOOTBALL ALLIANCE
PREMIER DIVISION

West Midlands Police 3, Highgate United 1

West Mids showed the way in the first minute when a quickly taken Martin Slattery free kick sent Mark Bellingham away down the left flank and an inch perfect cross found Stuart Evans to force the ball home from close range.

Highgate went close on 10 minutes when a long ball through the Police defence was missed by Richard Adams to let Lee Martin, who's chip over Police keeper Ross Bate looked goal bound until Richard Adams recovered to clear off the line. Highgate enjoyed a good spell at the start of the second half and it was against the run of play when West Mids increased their lead on 56 minutes. A long ball found Kevin Casson who played a diagonal ball to substitute Jonathan Adams who, from the angle of the box, fired home a fierce cross shot that went in off the far post.

Highgate pulled a goal back on 70 minutes when a through ball seemed to be posing no problem to the Police defence until centre back Richard Cox sliced his attempted clearance post his own keeper. With two minutes left on the clock, Highgate went close to an equaliser when a free kick taken by Lee Inman, rattled the underside of the bar, bounced down on the line and the ball was hacked away by the grateful Police defence. A minute later West Mids again showed their finishing power when Casson set up Bellingham who rifled the ball home from 12 yards.