Redditch United 0 Hednesford Town 1 - Report

The Reds have had a torrid time of late, losing 19 consecutive games in all competitions before upsetting the form book with a 3-2 win against Nuneaton Borough last time out.

They are rooted to the bottom of the league, 31 points adrift of the 14th placed Pitmen.

The two sides had met twice already this season with the Pitmen winning 4-0 in the league in October at Keys Park, before Redditch evened the score in the League Cup with a 2-0 win on Bonfire Night.

A slow start to the game saw the Pitmen take their time to adjust to the bounce of the ball on the artificial surface.

The first chance arrived after 15 minutes when Sam Griffiths made a run from his own half to be taken down on the edge of the area by Taimoor Hussain, however Dan Sweeney's free kick was high and wide.

Callam Mendez-Jones earned a booking when he committed a foul to end a dangerous looking breakaway from the home side.

The second half continued in the same way, with both sides seemingly determined to grind out a draw.

Sweeney forced a save from Ryan Pratt in the Redditch goal with an overhead kick, while Tom Hewlett saw a shot go agonisingly wide of the upright with the keeper beaten.

As the game progressed the Pitmen dominated possession without finding a break through as the day seemed destined to end goalless.

Late on Pitmen 'keeper Andy Wycherley was called into action parrying Boubaker Traore's shot behind for a corner when he was through on goal, denying Redditch an unlikely chance for a winner.

The game was settled in the 88th minute when the best move of the match saw Danny Glover play the ball to Elliott Hodge who set up Rhys Thompson to apply a finish into the corner of the net, giving the Pitmen their first win since the middle of January.

Teams

Redditch United; Pratt, Kennedy-Williams, Endall, Birch, Misambo (Wilson 52), Rehman, Hussain (Campbell 67), Rankin, Martin, Larmond, Traore. Subs not used; Marusiak, Moyo, Koneth

Hednesford Town; Wycherley, Mendez-Jones, Griffiths, Bailey, Gatter, Hallahan, Hodge, Thompson, Sweeney, Hewlett (Glover 69), Abadaki. Subs not used; Fry, Davies, Veiga