Basingstoke 0, Redditch United 1

REDDITCH United returned to winning ways courtesy of Reece Hales’s first-half strike and a penalty save from Brad Catlow 20 minutes from time.

Reds gradually grew in confidence during the first half and began to push back the hosts with Dior Angus drawing a strong stop from home keeper Alex Tokarczyk.

But United were not to be denied and took the lead on 27 minutes when Luke Keen held up well on the edge of the box and played in Hales to finish inside Tokarczyk’s far post.

Basingstoke’s Nana Owusu was denied by Catlow while Ahmed Ali was thwarted at the other end as fans enjoyed an open end to the first half.

Owusu then spurned a presentable chance seven minutes after the restart, producing a wayward shot following good work from substitute Aaron Redford before having another effort repelled by Catlow.

Owusu continued to be the thorn in Redditch’s stride, fizzing a shot just past the post on the hour before drawing a foul in the box from Eli Bako but Aaron Jarvis went down the middle and Catlow saved the spot-kick with his legs.

Reds pushed for a killer second with Keen’s curling shot clawed out of the bottom corner with 11 minutes to play and Max Loveridge clearing the crossbar as the clock struck 90.

And there was almost a sting in the tail when Basingstoke’s Sam Deadfield hit the crossbar from outside the box in the third minute of added time but United stood firm.

The success also signalled the end of a 10-match wait for a clean sheet that had dated back to the 0-0 draw at Dorchester in October.

Reds: CATLOW 9*, Jones 7, Dhillon 7, Loveridge 6, Brown 7, Cullinane-Liburd 7, Hales 8 (Cobourne, 65, 6), Angus 6, Keen 7, Johnson 6 (Bako, 56, 6), Ali 6. Unused subs: Kelly, Byfield.