REDDITCH secured a second win in three West Midlands Premier fixtures this season as they triumphed 3-2 at Stourport 2nds on Saturday.
Jacob Beard bagged a brace and Joel Haslam was also on the mark for the Kingfishers as they faced the familiar faces of Stourport 2nds who were the only team to beat Redditch home and away last season as both sides won promotion from West Midlands Division One.
The two teams were very evenly matched and hosts Stourport enjoyed more possession as Redditch proved a little wasteful on the ball at times.
However, a very smoothly worked passage of play gave Redditch the lead as some neat passing from the defence through the midfield and into attack was rounded off by Haslam.
Redditch then won a fortunate penalty flick which was safely converted by Beard to make it 2-0 half-time.
Visiting captain Adrian Young had fielded a young team with an average age of just 21 and he encouraged them to be more confident in the second half as Redditch sought to have more possession.
However, Stourport had other ideas and pressed higher up the pitch which put on the pressure and they soon got themselves back into contention at 2-1.
With ten minutes remaining, Redditch could not sit comfortably as Stourport remained a threat but Beard then added his second goal of the game from a penalty corner.
Stourport were not finished and responded immediately from a penalty corner of their own to reduce their arrears once more but the visitors held on to secure a hard-fought win.
Redditch host Solihull Blossomfield on Saturday (1.30pm).
REDDITCH 2nds drew 2-2 at home to Harborne 4ths in Midland South West One as Richard Sellors and George Haslam netted for the Kingfishers, who visit Solihull Blossomfield 2nds on Saturday.
Dave Baker bagged the only goal as Redditch 3rds won 1-0 at Harborne 5ths in South West Two.
The victory maintained Redditch’s perfect start after three games in which they have scored 15 goals and conceded none. Redditch, who host fellow high-flyers Stourport 4ths on Saturday, netted when Baker fired home from a smart short corner routine in a game filled with missed opportunities.
Redditch Ladies were beaten 2-0 by Kings Heath Pickwick but the Badgers enjoyed a 6-1 victory over Droitwich in which Harry Gwyer (2), Connor Miles, Sam Padfield, Tyler Botfield and Riley Oxenbury scored.
The hosts, still with a 100 per cent record, started brightly and were soon making the most of their early possession with some strong attacking play down the channels. A strong run and cross from Ben Carberry found Sam Padfield in the D and he coolly picked out Gwyer to fire home the opener.
Redditch continued to dominate and further direct attacking play from Eathan Wedgbury, Charley Padfield and Sam Padfield soon led to two further goals from Miles and Sam Padfield.
Showing great confidence, Redditch did not stop there and exploited the width on both sides as quality crosses from Carberry and Oxenbury resulted in both Oxenbury and Botfield scoring to make it 5-0 at half-time.
The hosts struck for a final time when Oxenbury stole possession from the last defender and calmly passed to Gwyer who slotted the ball home for his fifth goal of the season.
Redditch, led by Connie Dodd, impressed in defence, but Droitwich managed to force and convert a penalty corner late on.
