Redditch Utd 1, Hitchin Town 2

AN excellent strike from Dior Angus could not stop high-flying Hitchin from taking the points to keep their promotion push on track.

The visitors scored a goal in each half to take the spoils having dominated the game against a lacklustre home side who only sparkled for a brief spell midway through the second period.

Hitchin created plenty of chances in the opening half but had to wait until five minutes before the interval before they finally found a way past Reds keeper Brad Catlow.

The shotstopper did well to palm a Ben Walster corner away from under his crossbar on 28 minutes and then saved bravely at the feet of Robbie Burns two minutes later.

On 40 minutes, Catlow was called on again to keep out a header from visiting skipper Dan Webb but it was just seconds later that the breakthrough came. Jonny McNamara chipped the ball to the far post and Brett Donnelly was on hand to head in from a yard out.

The Canaries should have struck again in injury time but Kane Smith had his initial shot blocked and then saw his rebound pushed away by Catlow.

It took Redditch an hour before the finally managed a shot on target, a low effort on the turn from Luke Keen. Moments later, Catlow pulled off another good save to keep out another Donnelly strike.

But midway through the half, the Reds were back on level terms with a moment of brilliance from Angus who chipped the ball past his marker inside the area and then volleyed just inside Hitchin keeper Michael Johnson’s far post.

Boosted by the goal, Angus almost added a second but glanced a Kaylum Mitchell cross the wrong side of the post.

And having been let off the hook, the visitors grabbed their winner 12 minutes from time when Walster’s free-kick was not cleared in front of goal and skipper Dan Webb turned the ball home at the far post.

Reds: CATLOW 7, Jones 6, Dhillon 6 (Mitchell 63, 6), Loveridge 6, Brown 7, Cullinane-Liburd 5, Angus 7, Courtney 6, Keen 6, Benjamin 5 (Mahmood 71), Mendes 5 (Bailey-Nicholls 59, 5). Subs (not used): Campbell, Hussain