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Report written by Jack Underwood.
Ten men Redditch United earned a point away from home against rivals Bromsgrove Sporting, remaining unbeaten against the Rouslers in their last eight meetings. Tyrone Lewthwaite converted a second half penalty, before Omari Brown equalised in the closing stages.
Reece Flanagan returned to the starting XI and reclaimed the captain’s armband, whilst Matt Warburton missed out through a knock he picked up in the previous defeat to AFC Sudbury.
Early on, the home side came close when former Red Jack Kelly’s corner was headed onto the underside of the crossbar, but the danger was cleared away.
Lewthwaite managed to barge his way through the Redditch defence and find himself one-on-one, but he slipped at the last second and Tyrese Warmington collected the danger.
Fabian Reynolds turned his man on the left but his low cross was cleared. Jack Loughran then cut inside and had an effort held.
In the 29th minute, Luke Ward was shown a straight red card for an alleged kick out on Jordan Lyden, leaving Redditch down to ten men early on.
The final effort of a fairly scrappy first-half saw Bromsgrove come close as Josh Ezewele scraped his effort just wide of the post.
Immediately after the break, Billy Shaw looked to have put the ball in the back of the net, but his goal was ruled out for offside by the linesman.
Ezewele found some space in the box, cutting inside before his effort was parried by Warmington. Lyden was first to the rebound and was brought down in the box, which the referee blew for and awarded a penalty.
Lewthwaite stepped up and converted his spot kick to put Tim Flowers’ side ahead.
Loughran’s freekick on the edge of the box was punched away by Rory Brown straight into the path of Tom Edge. The midfielder ran the entire length of the pitch before hitting an early cross to Luke Benbow, but his effort resulted in a corner as Owen cleared off the line.
Despite the ten men, Redditch began to pile on the pressure, forcing a world class save from the Bromsgrove ‘keeper to deny a header, before Omari Brown equalised after finishing into the near post from the resulting corner.
Sporting launched the ball into the box right at the death, and the Reds did well to block a Jack Newell effort from close range, and the referee then blew for full-time to seal a deserved point.
Redditch United XI: Warmington; Mole, Owen, Dudley-Toole, Ward; Loughran, Flanagan (C), Soleman; Loughlan, Reynolds, Cameron.
Subs: Richards (90′), Bruck (73′), King (73′), Allwood, Brown (73′).
