Weymouth 1, Redditch Utd 1

Redditch United got back on track after coming from behind to secure an encouraging point at automatic promotion hopefuls Weymouth.

Calum Flanagan was the unlikely hero as he struck a rising drive from distance with 15 minutes to play to snatch a deserved point - only ten minutes after the hosts had broken the deadlock.

Liam McDonald’s men were on a run of three consecutive league defeats after a harsh January had seen them embark on a run of mammoth away days.

Weymouth was another of those, but after going down at The Valley to Paulton last week, it was important they got something from the home of the Terras and they started strong, Leigh Phillips and Ashley Sammons combining to set in Simeon Maye, who was let down by a heavy touch.

Host skipper and top scorer Stewart Yetton replied with a flashed drive wide inside ten minutes.

Phillips, a recent acquisition for McDonald, looked lively and on 27 minutes drove at the Weymouth backline with pace and his effort forced Jason Matthews to parry wide in the Weymouth goal. Jim Mutton, back in the fold following illness, headed the resulting corner over.

Reds came out on top after the break and skipper Sammons went closest yet when he fired narrowly wide early on in the second period.

And just after the hour, Sammons forced Matthews wide and laid the ball back to Calvin Dinsley, whose strike flew wide with retreating defenders covering the gaping goal.

On 66 minutes the hosts took the lead against the run of play. Poor defending in the visiting penalty area allowed James Reid far too much time and the Weymouth forward turned and fired beyond Sam Hornby.

Moments later the home side were reduced to 10-men as full-back Ashley Wells was sent off for a high lunge on George Carline.

The Reds were still in the ascendancy and snatched an equaliser on 75 minutes. A high cross was cleared only as far as Flanagan and the defender hit a fierce first-time shot that flew into the top corner to claim a deserved share of the spoils.

Reds: Hornby 7, Jones 7, Flanagan 8, Dinsley 8, Mutton 8 (Caines 89), Scarr 8, Phillips 7, MAYE 8, Baker-Richardson 6 (Shearer 77), Sammons 7 (Spink 89), Carline 8. Subs (not used): Bridgwater, Cullinane-Liburd.