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Written by Jack Underwood.
Redditch United secured safety in the Southern League Premier Central on the last day of the season, after thrashing already relegated Hitchin Town 4-0. The team came out and gave their all to end the season with such a fantastic performance.
Daniel Moore kept his place in the sticks following Ollie Taylor’s injury, whilst Brad Burton and Robbie Bunn returned to the starting XI.
Within the 9th minute, it was a dream start for the Reds as they were awarded a penalty, conceded by Ciaren Jones. Ryan Boothe stepped up to take, but Seb Stacey pulled off a good dive to deny the striker.
However, just two minutes later the ball would be in the back of the net for Redditch. A scramble in the box eventually fell to Boothe on the touchline, who pinged it back into the box and Cyrus Babaie scored with an acrobatic kick. The visitors protested that Dexter Dudley-Toole was impeding the goalkeeper, but the referee rightfully gave the goal.
Matt Clarke’s side were storming forward, and Ryan Boothe eventually won the ball back high up the pitch, before driving through a pull of his shirt and firing an effort into the bottom corner to double his side’s lead.
Redditch were absolutely relentless and added a third shortly after. Dudley-Toole got himself into some space in the area, before receiving the ball, taking a touch and he calmly slotted into the far corner past Stacey.
The teams would enter the break after a brilliant first half of football, which had almost guaranteed Redditch’s safety.
Robbie Bunn opened the second half with a good strike, but Stacey held well.
Babaie would grab his brace in the 51st minute after an effort was initially cleared off the line, before Cyrus leaped in the air and headered it past a wall of Hitchin men into the back of the net to make it 4-0.
Will McNeill had the best chance for the visitors, as he headed from close range into the side netting.
Hitchin were down to ten men when Bradley Dixon-Smith seemed to have elbowed Babaie in the face. The officials talked for a few minutes before confirming the sending off.
Babaie then thought he had his hattrick late on, but the linesman had flagged straight away for offside.
The referee blew for full-time to seal Step 3 status for Redditch United. The players applauded the cheering fans before coming together for a huddle in front of a roaring Cedar Road stand.
Redditch United XI: Moore; Burton, Rowley (C), Dudley-Toole, Kelly; Teixeira, Ceesay, Bunn, Clayton-Phillips; Boothe, Babaie.
Subs: Lomax (66’), Esen (66’), Skeen-Hamilton (70’), Brown (85’), Shambrook (80’).
