Photo taken by George Arghir 📸
Match report written by Jack Underwood ✍️
Redditch United were held to a consecutive draw in their first away test to Stratford Town. The two sides battled it out in a real contest, with Redditch having the majority of chances and unlucky not to come home with three points when a late winner was ruled out for offside.
There were two changes to the line-up as Alex Cameron and Tyler Bruck came into the starting XI in place for Dan Sweeney and Billy Fielding.
It was a quiet start to the game, with both teams going head-to-head in the opening 20 minutes and unable to test either goalkeeper.
The first effort of the game fell Redditch’s way, as Robbie Bunn won the ball back and flicked the ball through to Alex Cameron inside the box, but his effort was blocked at point blank.
A quick one-two between Cameron and Szhem Whyte-Hall saw the skipper through on goal, but Jake Weaver was quick off his line to block an early effort.
Both teams entered the break with not much to split between them, after a quiet first-half.
Early on after the break, Stratford’s first real chance came when the chance opened up for Tre Mitford inside the box, but Rory Brown was quick to save low with his foot. Minutes later, there were screams for a penalty inside the Reds box as a Bards man looked to go down, but the referee was quick to wave it away.
The two sides continued to battle it out in the second half, but neither side were able to enjoy a large spell of possession, with the ball repeatedly being lost by both sides when attempting to go forward.
However, it was better from Redditch later on, as they applied lots of pressure inside the Stratford box, whipping in multiple crosses. The ball eventually rolled towards Bunn on the edge of the box, but his shot was just wide.
In the 86th minute, a lightning-quick counter-attack from the Reds saw the ball crossed into the box low and slotted home for what looked like a late winner. But the celebrations behind the goal were silenced when the linesman raised his flag for offside.
In the dying seconds of stoppage time, Danny King ran past his man down the left and delivered a teasing ball to the head of Cameron, for what looked to be the winner again this time, but the skipper steered his header just over the bar and the referee blew for full-time to earn a point on the road.
Redditch United XI: Brown; Shambrook, Foreshaw, Owen, Grewal-Pollard; Soleman, King, Bunn, Bruck, Whyte-Hall; Cameron (C).
Subs: Murchison, Fielding, Sweeney (73’), Fernando, Sumnall.
