Redditch 2 Streetly 2
West Midlands Premier Division
REDDITCH ended their run of defeats with a hard earned and important point against Streetly on Saturday.
Redditch were slow getting started though and conceded first after a period of sustained pressure.
The Kingfishers finally woke up and started to have chances of their own, with new boy Harry Capewell bundling the ball over the line to leave the game poised at 1-1 at the break.
The game was very scrappy in the second half and both teams lost their discipline at times. Redditch went behind again but always looked like they wanted the game more and a few good chances went begging before Pete Dawson got the equaliser with ten minutes left.
A late shout for a penalty flick was turned down, leaving Redditch to rue what could have been, and they sit three points above the bottom two ahead of Saturday’s visit to Bromsgrove.
REDDITCH 2nds were thumped 9-0 at West Midlands Division Two leaders Wolverhampton.
Redditch had secured a 3-3 draw at home to the unbeaten Black Country side in November, but this time the visitors were up against it with only ten players on the pitch at the start and Steve Dawes recruited from the first team.
Honourable mentions go to Josh Checkley and Connor Adams who both had superb games for the Kingfishers, who host Ludlow on Saturday in their penultimate game of the season.
THE 3RDS visited fellow mid-table outfit West Bromwich in West Midlands Division One and fielded an inexperienced side compared to their hosts, including a Redditch 3rds debut for Josh Baker who moved up from the Badgers.
Despite the scoreline, there were positives in defeat for the visitors, not least the performances of Baker and Harry Williams who led the youngest Redditch attack in the history of the 3rds.
Captain Wayne Beard was tireless as he set the example of effort and commitment, whilst Will Moss also showed great energy from midfield and was unlucky with some questionable umpiring decisions which saw his marauding runs into the home D go unrewarded.
Redditch now head into the final three games of the season with fixtures against teams in the top half – which will prove invaluable experience for the exciting young talent playing in the side – starting with the visit of Bromsgrove on Saturday.
THERE was no shortage of effort from Redditch Ladies but, playing with only ten, they were beaten 5-1 at title-chasing Harborne 3rds in Worcestershire League Division One.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the visitors made a flying start and deservedly led through Anna Stafford’s brilliant goal.
There was some more impressive play from the visitors in the remainder of the first half as they reached the break at 1-1, but the task facing them against such high-flying opposition became more apparent in the second half as the hosts pulled clear despite numerous great saves from Beth Vincent.
The ladies host Tenbury on Saturday.
REDDITCH Badgers hosted Leamington and were captained by Josh Brown as they secured a 7-0 victory.
The hosts surged into a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from James Denyer, Jake Porter and Ethan Reeves, as newcomer Tom Stanton, Ben Tominski and Brown put a lot of pressure on the Leamington defence.
At the other end, another newcomer Callum Jones, Amy Jones and goalkeeper Jacob Knight all impressed and it was 4-0 before half time when Redditch were awarded a penalty corner from which an accurate shot from Harrison Knight gave him his first goal of the season.
At half time Redditch coaches Lou King and Sharon Smith and the young team agreed to the juniors playing the second half of the game without any seniors and it proved to be a good decision as eight minutes in the Leamington keeper kicked away a shot on goal, which was picked up by Harrison Knight who fired home.
Reeves then struck the crossbar but there was still time for more goals as Harrison Knight took his personal tally to four with two more.
Redditch travel to Olton on Saturday.
