REDDITCH United suffered a fourth successive Southern League Premier Division defeat as they were beaten 2-0 at promotion hopefuls Merthyr Town on Tuesday.
Boss Darren Byfield named himself in the starting XI as the Reds aimed to bounce back from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Dunstable Town, but the Welsh side proved too strong, leaving United in 11th place and having scored just three times in the last seven matches.
Merthyr’s Penydarren Park was the scene of one of United’s greatest moments when a 3-0 victory in 2004 clinched a famous double promotion to the newly-formed Conference North.
However, an away victory was never on the cards this time around as the much-changed visitors found life tough.
Byfield handed a full debut to new striking recruit Reece Bennett, who has arrived from West Midlands League Division Two outfit Sikh Hunters, whilst fellow new signings Kallum Mitchell and Tommy Stephens were on the bench.
Reds keeper Luke O’Reilly, who joined last Friday and made his debut at Dunstable, was forced into pushing Ian Traylor’s strike around the post inside 30 seconds before Town’s Elliot Richards fired a whisker wide.
Curtis McDonald gave Town the lead via a 28th-minute goalmouth scramble, but United almost levelled nine minutes later when Bennett set up Gurjit Singh who beat Town keeper Oliver Davies, only for McDonald to clear the ball off the line.
However, it became 2-0 a minute before the break when Singh conceded a free kick on the edge of the box and Scott Barrow curled the set piece high into the net beyond 20-year-old Cardiff City youth loanee O’Reilly.
Byfield had a half chance on the turn shortly into the second period but a Redditch fightback was never on the cards.
A 17TH-MINUTE header from Adam Pepera proved the difference on Saturday as Dunstable won the battle of the mid-table teams.
Dior Angus twice went close to equalising for the Reds in the second half as he fired just wide and then over but, despite a sustained spell of late pressure, Byfield’s side returned home empty-handed.
The Reds, who host leaders Chippenham Town on Saturday, are understood to have received an approach from full-time National North outfit Nuneaton Town for centre back Jim Mutton, who has only recently returned to the Valley Stadium.
