REDDITCH United’s push for the play-offs in the Southern Premier Central suffered a setback after two 2-1 away defeats inside 48 hours.
The Reds got no reward from Saturday’s mammoth 359-mile round trip to Leiston, losing 2-1 in Suffolk, and then went down by the same scoreline at Hitchin Town on Monday.
Leiston have become the league’s form team and last Saturday’s win was a sixth home success in a row, leaving them second in the table and just one point behind leaders Tamworth.
The Reds fell behind after 12 minutes after Ben Fowkes capitalised on a defensive mistake to stride through and that gave Leiston the confidence to keep creating chances.
Keeper Kieran Boucher made two sharp saves to deny Fowkes and Joe Marsden but Leiston had their second goal on 26 minutes.
It was a comedy of errors for the Reds as Lewis Hudson’s clearance from a low cross from Fowkes flew into the face of Reece Flanagan and into the net via Boucher’s left-hand post.
The Reds rallied and Danny King and Bernard Mensah Jr went close before Mensah struck five minutes into the second period. Hudson’s low cross was spilled by keeper Sam Donkin and Mensah reacted quickest to dink the ball over the stranded keeper.
Redditch were much the better side, Mensah having another effort blocked, but they struggled to test Donkin.
On Monday, the Reds headed to Hitchin and were soon into their fluid style as Jerrell Sellars and Robbie Bunn produced moments of quality.
Sellars’ game was soon ended after he was carried off and a further blow followed on the half hour when Jack Snelus shot home after Boucher parried Ashley Hay’s shot.
Redditch hit back to level just before the break when Danny King finished well from a corner and they took their attacking intent into the second half, Ryan Boothe having a half chance and Max Sheaf firing wide.
But Hitchin, who had lost to the Reds in the FA Trophy in October, took the points with Hay heading home a free-kick from Diogo Freitas-Gouveia on 67 minutes.
