MIKE Fowler praised the application of his players after Redditch United ended pre-season with an emphatic 4-0 win against Anstey Nomads.
The Reds finished their pre-season campaign on a high as Danny King, Matty Warburton, Tyler Bruck and Max McNulty all found the net at the Valley Stadium.
And Fowler feels the friendly acted as the perfect preparation for his side ahead of the start of the Southern League Premier Central season this weekend.
Fowler said: “I’m delighted where we finished in the game, it was the perfect game for us in terms of getting us ready for the season. I’m really proud.
“We were under the cosh early, we weathered the storm, we lost both centre-backs by half time and we stood up and were counted.
“We looked really dangerous when we attacked, every time we went forward we looked like we were going to score.
“I’m really pleased with the application of the lads, it’s a four-nil where we’ve had to batten down the hatches and grind it out.
“The games are going to come thick and fast, do we know what the strongest team is?
“The strongest team will be the players who turn up again and again. We’re going to need everyone.”
The Reds broke the deadlock on 20 minutes when Anstey failed to clear their lines and King volleyed a dropping ball into the bottom left corner from 15-yards out.
And the home side doubled their lead on 59 minutes when Warburton’s attempted cross from the left flew over the goalkeeper and into the right corner of the goal.
United extended their advantage in style on 66 minutes as Bruck sent a sublime chip over the goalkeeper from 25-yards out.
The Reds struck again six minutes from time when McNulty finished at the second attempt.
Redditch begin their league campaign away at AFC Sudbury on Saturday, August 9 with kick-off at 3pm at the Elite Travel Stadium.
