Reds timed out

REDS manager Gary Whild was left stunned and bemused as visitors Stalybridge snatched victory with a goal five minutes into injury time at the Valley Stadium.

And the late winner was made all the more difficult to swallow after the officials had stated there were only going to be three extra minutes.

"Maybe in football they should take the lead from rugby where they sound a hooter so everyone knows," Whild said.

"On Saturday the officials and both managers were told there would be three extra minutes and then they scored in the fifth! But at the moment it is one man's word against the rest."

While Stalybridge had dominated the final stages of the game, their winner was a cruel blow to a Redditch side who deserved something from a game that began with the visitors taking a sixth minute lead when a throw-in from the right was not cleared and Ashley Winn volleyed home from 15 yards.

Celtic could have doubled their lead ten minutes later when Winn beat the offside trap only to fire over the bar under pressure from United defender Exodus Geoghaghan.

But from then on there was little to choose between the sides and Reds were back on level terms on 23 minutes, a sweet goal that saw Chris Murphy's ball into the box headed down by Francino Francis for Richard Softley to hook home.

Redditch keeper Richard Anstiss saved well from Neil Prince and Steve Brodie either side of the break while Francis sent an overhead kick soaring over the bar before a Simon Hollis corner had to be tipped away by Stalybridge keeper Paul Pettinger.

United's best spell came around the hour mark. Carl Palmer sent a thundering effort against the crossbar and, moments later, a curling Hollis free-kick forced a good save from Pettinger.

But having failed to make the breakthrough, these efforts seemed to exhaust the home side and the latter stages belonged to the visitors who squandered a number of chances to wrap up the game.

Tricky winger Steve Smith was their biggest culprit, blazing an effort over from six yards after a Dominic Krieff pass had dissected the Redditch defence.

And with nine minutes to go Anstiss produced a breathtaking double save to deny Smith who had again sneaked in unchecked.

Lee Ellington put another effort over the bar and injury time saw the Reds scramble the ball off the line following a corner.

But time was on Stalybridge's side and the 95th minute saw a corner punched out to the edge of the area where Brodie volleyed home to grab all three points.

Reds: Anstiss 7, A Walker 6 (Cottrill 79), SOFTLEY 8, Geoghaghan 7, Rae 7, Murphy 7 (Taylor 63, 6), Downes 6, Francis 7, Rickards 6 (D Walker 67, 6), Hollis 7, Palmer 8. Subs (not used): Whitcombe, Alsop.

Stalybridge: Pettinger, Keeling, Maxfield, Hulme, Sykes, WINN, S Smith, Krieff, Ellington, Brodie, Prince. Subs (not used): B Smith, Parr, Hitchen.