Reds’ Trophy joy

REDDITCH United stormed into the second round of the FA Trophy with a dazzling first-half display at their Nationwide Conference North rivals.

Boro had no answer to their visitors as they surged forward at every opportunity and could easily have been 5-0 up at the break.

As it was manager Gary Whild had to be content with a first half treble but that proved enough as solid defending coupled with some crucial saves from Richard Anstiss after the break kept Nuneaton at bay.

In fact it was the home side who almost opened the scoring. With star striker Gez Murphy substituted with hamstring trouble after just 11 minutes, it was replacement David Blenkinsopp who went close when he headed a Connor Franklin cross against the post on 14 minutes.

This was the wake-up call the Reds needed and, just two minutes later, they were celebrating their opener.

The impressive Scott Rickards put in a teasing cross from the left which defender Neil Moore tried to head behind for a corner. But Boro keeper Darren Acton had other ideas and in trying to keep the ball in play, dropped it at the feet of United's Simon Hollis who duly accepted his early Christmas gift.

Rickards, playing against his former club, doubled the lead five minutes later with a curling free-kick from 22 yards that had Acton grasping at thin air.

It was all Redditch at this point with Rickards firing another effort straight at the keeper before Hollis powered an effort over the bar.

And the visitors' pressure was finally rewarded with a third goal five minutes before the break. A quick break upfield saw Carl Palmer and Francino Francis link up before feeding Hollis on the right whose shot looked to be heading for the net before Palmer made certain with the slightest of touches.

United's defensive pair Simon Rea and Exodus Geoghaghan had their hands full after the break as Boro looked for a way back into the tie. But they coped and the closest Nuneaton went was a Gary McPhee effort that grazed the top of the crossbar.

Franklin sent a feeble effort into Anstiss' arms on the hour and then lifted another effort over the target.

And Anstiss also did well to deny Blenkinsopp 15 minutes from time, blocking the striker's shot as he found himself unmarked inside the area.

But it was Redditch who almost capped off a memorable afternoon with a fourth goal, Hollis collecting a Palmer pass only to roll his shot inches wide.

Nuneaton: Acton, Oddy, Franklin, Fitzpatrick, Moore, Chapman, Denny, Noon (Staff 37), McPhee, Murphy (Blenkinsopp 11), Wilkin. Subs (not used): Burgess, Collins, Brown.

Reds: Anstiss 7, A Walker 6 (Petty 75), Whitcombe 6, Rea 7, Geoghaghan 7, Taylor 6 (Clarke 72), Downes 8, Francis 5 (D Walker 62, 6), RICKARDS 9, Hollis 7, Palmer 8. Subs (not used): Cotterill, Alsop.