MIKE Fowler admits ‘confidence is high’ at Redditch United following a 1-0 derby win away at Alvechurch.
The Reds battled to a 1-0 victory at Lye Meadow as Liam Loughlan scored the game’s only goal shortly before half time.
The result means Redditch sit fourth in the Southern League Premier Central table, two points clear of the chasing pack in the race for a play-off place.
And Fowler praised the belief his side showed to earn a fifth successive win in all competitions.
Fowler said: “It wasn’t a great game. If I was a neutral I’d be asking for my money back.
“We knew it was going to be a fight. We managed to produce the quality when it mattered.
“I don’t know how many derby wins that is now but we’re doing well locally.
“The credit has to go to the boys and because they’ve got such belief they feel they can they defend.
“It’s the fittest we’ve been and the cleanest the injury room has been.
“We’re in a good place, we’re in a good run, we’ve just got to keep ticking off the games.
“Confidence is high in the dressing room, my belief has always been there.”
United eventually broke the deadlock on 42 minutes when Danny King slipped in Loughlan down the left-hand side of the penalty area and the midfielder poked a shot past the onrushing Evans.
King then headed against the top of the crossbar before a flashpoint arose in the technical area at the death after Church assistant boss Mark Yates clashed with Redditch’s Tyler Bruck.
Following the incident, the referee sent off Church boss Kyle Storer and Reds manager Fowler.
Fowler added: “What a stupid rule. When that happens, have I got any control over the 11 players on the pitch, the subs and my coaching staff?
“I’m not an octopus, I can’t stop all of those people getting involved. I can’t speak about what happened because I didn’t see it.
“Tyler knew what he was doing, it’s part of the game. A few people get involved from their bench.
“There’s 35 people rolling around. It looks worse than it is. Me and Kyle Storer were probably the only two people who weren’t involved.
“The referee has just gone ‘I don’t have a clue who did what but I’ve got to send you off because you’re senior management’.
“It’s a silly rule. It was just a lot of hugging.”
Redditch are next in action against Spalding United on Saturday, February 28 with kick-off at 3pm at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
