Hockey
Mixed fortunes for title-chasers

IT WAS a mixed weekend for Redditch as they bagged their second biggest victory of the season but also suffered their first defeat since mid-November in Sunday's rearranged fixture, writes Rich Randle.

A five-goal salvo from Andy Brooks and a Dave Smith hat-trick ensured an 11-2 demolition of Saturday's visitors Old Wulfrunians.

The hosts were two goals to the good inside the first five minutes as Pete Dawson opened the scoring with a typically spectacular effort before Brooks grabbed his first of the afternoon.

Brooks grabbed his second and Redditch's third from a penalty corner before a superb move involving Brooks, Jason Ellis-Woodley and Chris Thomas saw Smith score the fourth.

Redditch continued their assault in the second half and moved five ahead through Brooks' third goal, this time from a penalty stroke following a nasty head injury to a Wulfrunians player.

The opposition grabbed a goal back but Redditch responded immediately with Steve Cook scoring from a smart penalty corner routine, although the visitors rallied once more to make the score 6-2 before Smith slammed home his second effort.

Pete Dawson found time for another special effort to make it 8-2, before Brooks capitalised on more good build-up play to score his fourth of the afternoon.

Andy Billingham provided a peach of a ball to gift Smith his hat-trick strike before Brooks grabbed his fifth and Redditch's 11th goal late on after controlling an aerial effort.

Redditch will be disappointed they did not carry their performance into Sunday's game at fellow high-flyers Wednesbury who ran out 4-2 victors.

The Kingfishers were on the back foot for most of the game and eventually succumbed to a 4-2 loss that leaves them fourth in the table, although with games in hand and a phenomenal goal difference the West Midlands Division One title remains within their grasp.

Redditch went a goal down inside ten minutes despite goalkeeper Sam Bevan's best efforts and were two behind ten minutes later after conceding from a penalty corner.

Brooks brought Redditch back into the game with a goal from a penalty corner but late in the first half Wednesbury launched a quick counter to take a 3-1 lead into half time.

The second half was hard fought and fiercely tempered with both sides seeing players sin-binned.

Late in the game Redditch were again given a lifeline through Cook's deflected effort from Wayne Beard's cross, but moments later Beard was controversially yellowed which left Redditch down to ten men and the hosts made the most of their temporary advantage to put the game beyond Redditch's reach with another goal.

Redditch face the long trip to mid-table Stafford tomorrow.