Redditch United 3 Halesowen Town 2 - Report

Something was always going to give in this contest between two teams who both had three wins and a draw from their first five games and ten points each in the Southern League Premier Central.

Two goal Jaiden White looked dangerous from the start for Redditch, shooting just wide with the first chance of the game on six minutes.

Halesowen soon came into it through with McKauley Manning turning the Redditch defence on 22 minutes and putting a low drive inches past the post.

Musa Ceesay for Redditch saw a shot go over the bar and Halesowen goalkeeper Dan Platt saved a scuffed shot from Jonny Johnston.

Halesowen took the lead two minutes before the break when the home defence misjudged the bounce of the ball as it came into the area and Kieren Donnelly headed it into the net.

The second half saw Redditch come out all guns blazing and a double from White turned the tide for them. Jordan Cranston found Johnston with a low pass on 48 minutes and he slotted in White for the first.

It was two on 51 minutes when White received the ball on the counter attack, rounded Platt and stroked the ball in.

Johnston got in on the act and seemed to have sealed the game on 67 minutes when he met a Cranston corner at the back post to make it 3-1.

Halesowen tried desperately to get back in the game, Manning's free kick finding the head of Nat Kelly who saw his header loop over the bar.

But Redditch went close to making it four with an audacious lobbed effort by Reuben Wyatt on 80 minutes which bounced just wide of the right post and Johnston saw a shot go wide.

The Yeltz' task was made pretty much impossible and their misery completed when substitute Adi Yussuf was sent off eight minutes from time for lashing out at a Redditch player off the ball.

But there was time for a consolation when Cranston put the ball in his own net after a cross from Conor Tee