Match Report | Redditch United (A)
Halesowen fall to defeat in a play-off battle with Redditch United
Match Report
The hosts took the lead on seven minutes, the 11th goal we have conceded in the opening 15 minutes of league games this season. The Redditch opener went from right to left, as a ball forward misjudged by Reece Mitchell found Danny King. The latter swung the ball into the middle to Alex Cameron, who knocked the ball on one more to Finn Howell, who scored his first goal of the season at the back post.
The start of the second half continued in the same vain. The hosts doubled the lead bang on the hour mark, as Mitchell conceded a foul after bringing down Jack Loughran. The resulting free kick was whipped into the bottom left by Liam Loughlan. Five minutes later Jason Cowley went one away from 20 league goals this campaign as he rounded the keeper to half the deficit, but the Reds killed the game off three minutes before the 90 through Loughlan’s second of the game and eighth of the season.
It was the Yeltz who fashioned the opening chance of the contest, as Jason Cowley won a corner down the left off Joel Shambrook. The delivery from Jak Hickman was attacked by Milan Butterfield in the middle, just missed the midfielder, and Ryan Wollacott who was in around the back post.
Redditch scored the opener in the moments that followed, and just three minutes later nearly added a second. Aram Soleman found Jack Loughran on the edge of the box, whose shot was saved by Dan Platt. The rebound off the Yeltz number one fell out to Alex Cameron, whose shot was blocked by Wollacott.
After the 20th minute, we entered a huge purple patch, as many chances went begging for Russ Penn’s boys in white. On 23 minutes Cowley spotted a gap to goal from 25 yards out after space opened up down the right, but his effort was grabbed by Tyrese Warmington. Robbie Bunn did hit an effort over the bar just after at the other end, but the remainder of the minutes leading up to the half hour mark belonged to us.
Our best chance of the game so far came smack bang on the 25 minute mark. A shot from just inside the box by Kyle Finn went just wide of the bottom right corner of Warmington’s left post. Two minutes later, Cowley and Finn went close, before a free kick down the left rattled the post by Hickman. On the half hour, Fin Holmes burst down the right to take on Luke Ward. The latter cut inside and had a shot deflected wide of the bottom left.
In the 15 minutes that remained in the first 45, we continued to dominate, but again fail in our chances of finding the net. A Rob Evans throw found Holmes in the middle, who put the ball backwards and out to Josh Smile. The latter directed the ball to Hickman, whose header on was met by Wollacott, and forced Warmington to tip over. Three minutes before stoppage time, a Hickman pass flew across to Ben Cassidy, who went for a strike at the left post which was blocked out for a corner by Morgan Owen. Hickman’s delivery came back out to him for a cross and Wollacott shot which went over.
The start of the second half was a rendition of the opening of the first 45, a struggle and lethargic in moments. On the right Loughlan found King who won a corner. The delivery from the former was headed on at the back post to Ward, whose flicked header was cleared off the goal line. The hosts second followed just under 10 minutes later, but that goal did breathe a new life into the Yeltz, as a swift reaction saw Ty Barnett replace Mitchell.
The substitution worked wonders, as two quick chances for us in the aftermath of the Redditch second came our way. A Holmes header in the centre was saved by Warmington, before Finn drifted his way into the box and forced the Redditch keeper to palm the ball away. To little surprise and some relief after a barrage of attacks across the first half and start of the second 45, we finally found the net.
The game was back on, and we certainly gave a fist of it. On 76 minutes, the ball found its way out to Finn on the left, whose pass deflected into Holmes’ path. Redditch managed to clear the ball away, but the loose ball was picked up by Smile, who took on a shot which was palmed away by the Birmingham City loanee, Warmington.
The hosts pushed forward themselves in the latter stages of the contest. A 70th minute strike from Soleman was punched away by Platt, before 10 minutes later, they took a free kick short. Midfielder Soleman drove into space and crossed on the byline. The ball was met by Cameron first time at the front post, but Platt saved it well before he collected the ball. Redditch added their third three minutes before additional time.
The game entered stoppage time, and the Yeltz had one last move forward to grab a consolation. Hickman bust down the right, before he smashed a cross into the box and into the feet of Holmes. The teenagers low driven strike was straight at Warmington and saved. Defeat again at The Valley Stadium, a familiar feeling as we still look for that first elusive win at Sallie Swan Street since 2003.
Attendance: 1,027
Teams
Redditch XI: Tyrese Warmington (GK), Joel Shambrook, Finn Howell, Morgan Owen, Jack Loughran (Tyler Bruck 68’), Alex Cameron (C) (Omari Brown 90+6’), Liam Loughlan, Danny King, Luke Ward, Aram Soleman, Robbie Bunn
Unused Subs: Luke O’Hare, Jimmy Richardson & Shan Fernando
Yeltz XI: Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman, Ben Cassidy, Josh Smile (C), Ryan Wollacott, Jason Cowley, Kyle Finn, Milan Butterfield (Jim Kellermann 79’), Rob Evans, Fin Holmes, Reece Mitchell (Ty Barnett 60’)
Unused Subs: Alex Gudger, McKauley Manning & AJ George