Hitchin Town 4, Redditch United 0

Redditch rounded off a dismal week with a four-goal drubbing at Hitchin, having two players sent off and seeing manager Liam McDonald banished to the stands in the process.

And if that wasn’t enough, the Valley Stadium side must also do without joint leading scorer Jamie Molyneux until the new year after he suffered a broken ankle in training.

Influential midfield pair Max Loveridge and Ashley Sammons picked up controversial red cards either side of the break with Hitchin taking advantage of their numerical advantage to stroll to victory with three second half goals.

The defeat followed the misery of an FA Cup replay defeat at the hands of neighbours Evesham United in midweek and could force McDonald to bring in new faces before the next league game at home to Weymouth on October 4.

Sammons had gone close early on but it was the hosts who took the lead on 15 minutes, Callum Donnelly nipping in to punish some hesitant Redditch defending.

On the stroke of half-time the match truly turned in Hitchin’s favour as Loveridge was the first to be sent-off for what appeared to be a 50/50 tackle.

Bradley Catlow produced a good save to deny Jonny McNamara shortly after the break before it went from bad to worse for the Reds on 54 minutes as skipper Sammons was dismissed for dissent. From the resulting set-piece Sam Barker was left unmarked and his header doubled Hitchin’s lead.

Five minutes later the hosts made it 3-0 as McNamara burst clear before chipping the advancing Catlow.

With a two-man deficit there was no way back for the Reds who handed youngsters Liam Fullerton and Charles Wilson their debuts in the closing stages.

Catlow produced a good low save to keep out McNamara but Hitchin grabbed a fourth with ten minutes to go when the same player prodded home.

Redditch: CATLOW 8, Jones 7, Caines 6 (Recci 46, 6), Loveridge 4, Flanagan 7, Mutton 7, Maye 7, Spink 6, Spencer 6 (Fullerton 60, 6), Sammons 4, Carline 6 (Wilson 80). Subs not used: Hylton, Bridgwater.