Beard treble in Redditch win - The Redditch Standard

Beard treble in Redditch win

Redditch Editorial 14th Feb, 2019   0

JACOB BEARD scored a hat-trick to fire Redditch to a 4-0 victory over West Bromwich as they bounced back from their defeat to fellow promotion-chasers Stourport 2nds in fine style.

The Kingfishers’ top-scorer Beard led the way as he took his tally for the season to 17 and moved third-placed Redditch to within three points of leaders Market Drayton, who were beaten 3-1 at Bromsgrove.

Redditch captain Adrian Young had his concerns this West Midlands Division One fixture could prove to be a bit of a banana skin fixture as Redditch only had the bare 11 players available and a couple of members of the team had suffered illness in the week leading up to the game.

However, Redditch soon took hold of the game, dominating possession throughout and converting chances into penalty corners.




It was a low drag flick into the bottom corner from Beard that put the visitors 1-0 up midway through the first half and it was a second short corner before half-time which fell to Dan Waite who struck the ball on the half-volley to make it 2-0 with his sixth goal of the season.

The second half was much like the first with Pete Dawson and Eugene Read putting in solid defensive performances for the visitors and Harry Saunders producing a man of the match performance as he worked tirelessly up front.


The third goal was the pick of the bunch as it involved most members of the team playing a fast-tempo style of hockey.

Teenager Luke Baker – playing in only his fourth league game for the team – showed how his confidence is growing as he closed down the West Brom winger well and forced him into a mistake before laying the ball into Dan Jakeman who in turn passed to Andy Billingham, on to Harry Williams, then to Waite inside the West Brom D and he pulled it back to Beard to finish past the outstretched West Brom goalkeeper.

The fourth and final goal came inside the last ten minutes through another low short corner drag flick from Beard to complete his hat-trick.

Redditch – behind second-placed Ludlow on goal difference with a game in hand – host outside promotion hopefuls Bournville 2nds on Saturday (1.30pm).

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