REDDITCH chalked up a second successive 7-1 West Midlands Division One victory as they defeated visitors West Bromwich on Saturday.
Two weeks after seeing off Leek by the same scoreline at Bromsgrove Road, the Kingfishers were at it again to move their points tally on to a healthy seven from four matches ahead of Saturday’s visit to Bournville 2nds.
Redditch instantly controlled possession and were soon ahead as Jacob Beard’s reverse stick shot was deflected through the goalkeeper’s legs by Mike Slater to give him his third goal of the season.
A slight scare in defence did give West Brom an opportunity but it was struck wide of Joe Cardy’s goal before Redditch went 2-0 ahead as Beard was again the provider – this time drawing the keeper and squaring the ball across the D to allow Dan Waite to slot home into an empty net.
The third goal came as centre-back Andy Billingham pushed forward and fired the ball towards the far post where Harry Saunders was waiting to deflect the ball home.
West Brom had a glimmer of hope as they pulled a goal back from a penalty corner to make it 3-1 but before half-time Waite got his second goal of the game, firing home from the top of the D.
In the second half Redditch continued to dominate the majority of possession with West Brom only threatening on the counter-attack. After serving as provider for three of the goals in the first half, Beard got his reward by getting a goal of his own – his fourth of the season – from a penalty corner drag flicked low past the goalkeeper.
The sixth Redditch goal also came from a penalty corner as this time Beard’s shot from the top of the D was deflected by the defender into the path of Dan Jakeman, whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper into the path of Saunders who coolly volleyed the ball over the scrambling goalkeeper.
The final goal of the game came from some brilliant individual skill from Harry Williams who cut inside from the left and beat two players before shooting from the top of the D into the bottom corner.
Redditch’s goals against Leek came from Beard, Slater, the departing James Makin (2), Jakeman (2) and Chris Thomas.
