REDDITCH Hockey Club endured a tough week across their respective teams despite an impressive win for the men’s third side.
And youngsters led the way for Redditch men 3’s as they hammered Stratford’s development team 8-1 to bounce back from their defeat against Sutton last time out.
Redditch made a quick start before a well worked penalty corner saw Elliot Ford get his
first assist of the game setting up Miller Glen who calmy flicked the ball into the corner.
Shortly after, Leo Jones scored his first of the game with a calm finish into the bottom corner assisted by Marshall Glen.
And Redditch maintained their dominance as Elliot Ford scored his first goal of the season when he squeezed the ball home from an acute angle.
Redditch extended their lead when 13-year-old Hadley Kilkenny scored another well worked goal after Marshall Glen had run down the right hand side and beat multiple players before pushing the ball to the top of the D where Hadley calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Returning player Ethan Reeves also found himself on the scoresheet for the first time this season, slotting into empty goal after the Stratford Goalkeeper came to win a ball from another penalty corner.
The second-half started in a similar fashion as Miller Glen grabbed his second of the game before Alex Ward netted for the first time in five years from Ford’s assist.
Stratford eventually troubled the scoreboard late on from a penalty corner before Miller assisted Jones who produced a great piece of skill to bounce the ball over the onrushing keeper and complete the scoring.
Elsewhere, Redditch men’s 4’s development team were beaten 6-3 by Old Silhillians 5’s in their first league game against external opposition.
Despite the scoreline, the game was closely fought and competitive with a promising debut in defence for Jim Hancock whilst several younger players continued to settle into their first season of league action.
This included pleasing displays from Brandon Smith, William Wright, Arran Smith and Christian Durbin.
Redditch played some classic passing hockey, which led to a number of chances, and the first and third goals from open play, both finished off by captain Russ Baldwin whilst Redditch’s second goal was from a well-worked short-corner routine with a clinical strike by Ethan Smith.
Redditch women’s 2’s drew 3-3 with Harborne women’s 5’s in a breathless end-to-end encounter.
Harborne scored the first goal, but it wasn’t long before Redditch equalised when Holly Hancocks knocked a rebounded shot behind the goal line.
Some fantastic teamwork between Alice Wright, Elsie Simpson and Frankie Griffiths kept the Harborne defenders busy but it was Becki Clarke and captain Louise Jennings who put away another couple of goals to hand Redditch a 3-1 lead.
Undeterred, Harborne continued to fight hard and with both teams beginning to tire, two counter-attack goals gave the opposition time and space to level the scores in the closing stages
Redditch remain top of the table and are undefeated so far this season.
Lastly, a young Redditch Badgers side were thrashed 5-1 by Worcester Pippins.
Worcester made a strong start and made the breakthrough within the first 10 minutes which was quickly followed by a second goal.
Redditch responded when Theo Cook weaved his way through the defence and produced a low drive that beat the keeper.
Shortly before the half-time whistle, Worcester added their third goal against the run of play from a two on one situation.
The Worcester keeper made a number of saves in the second period before they scored two more breakaway goals to seal the win.
Elsewhere, Redditch men’s first team secured a commanding 7-0 victory over Market Drayton whilst the men’s 2’s were well-beaten away at West Bromwich 10-0 and the women’s first team suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Olton.
