Biggleswade Town 2 Redditch United 5

IF there was any doubt about Redditch United’s ability to sustain a top-five challenge, it vanished as quickly as the goals flew into the back of the net at the Waders Stadium, writes Colin Stoner.

The Reds’ stuttering sequence of three goalless league games without a win had been the worst run of the Evo-Stik Southern Premier season for Liam McDonald’s men.

But a convincing performance of expertly finished chances - and some no-nonsense defending - earned a victory which pushed Redditch back into the top five.

Jermaine Hylton led the way with two goals, with Ashley Sammons, Jim Mutton and George Carline also on target.

It only took five minutes for the Reds to open the scoring with Sammons unleashing a 25-yard shot into the net but it was 1-1 ten minutes later when Lee Reed escaped at the far post to slot home from a Lee Allinson free-kick.

But two goals in a three-minute spell midway through the first half put the Reds in the ascendancy.

Top scorer Hylton produced an expert finish, switching the ball from his left foot to his right to fire home after Liam Spink’s 25th-minute corner fell to him.

Three minutes later, man-of-the-match Mutton produced a text-book near-post header from Sammons’ corner to make it 3-1.

Spink wasted a good chance to add to the Reds tally before the break but Biggleswade rallied and Reed cut the deficit on 61 minutes after capitalising on Simeon Maye’s poor pass to slot home.

However, Hylton’s second goal of the game stopped any comeback in its tracks, the striker converting a penalty on 69 minutes after he had been brought down by the keeper.

The Reds rattled up five goals or more for the sixth time this season two minutes from time when Carline netted after Hylton’s run and cross.

REDDITCH: Hornby 8; Jones 8, Liburd 6, Spink 7 (Oshungbure, 75), Mutton 9, Flanagan 8, Angus 6 (Dinsley, 75), Maye 6, Jermaine Hylton 8, Sammons 8 (Jarrell Hylton, 88), Carline 8. Subs not used: Young, Bridgwater.