Stratford Town 1, Redditch United 0

Redditch United’s 11-match unbeaten run came to an end after a pulsating Boxing Day clash at the DCS Stadium which saw Stratford Town reduced to ten men for the final 17 minutes.

In his first match for the visitors former Town midfielder Rob Thompson-Brown went for goal within 60 seconds of the start only for his effort to be tipped around the post by keeper Andy Kemp – the first of a number of excellent saves.

Stratford took the lead after 15 minutes when Michael McGrath, another to line-up against their former club, smashed a free-kick home from ten yards outside the area.

The visitors looked for an immediate response but were kept at bay by Kemp who tipped an Ashley Sammons shot over the bar before keeping out a point-blank Simeon Maye effort from the resulting corner.

The Reds were forced into two changes before the interval. First to go was Maye on the half-hour but replacement Troy Baker lasted less than ten minutes before a suspected torn hamstring led to him being stretchered off.

The second half saw the Reds back on the attack but Sammons drilled an effort over the target.

On 73 minutes, Jamey Osborne was brought down by home defender Aaron Stringfellow earning a red card for the Stratford man. Thompson-Brown stepped up to take the 20-yard free-kick but put his shot over the bar.

George Carline went closest to levelling in the 86th minute with a rocket of a shot that was destined for the top corner only for the outstanding Kemp to intervene once again.

Reds: Veiga 6, Haynes 6, Maye 5 (Baker 21 (Molyneux 30, 6)), Flanagan 6, Richards 6, Mutton 6, Loveridge 5 (Liburd-Cullinane 71), Sammons 6, THOMPSON-BROWN 8, Carline 7, Osborne 7. Subs (not used): Fletcher, Young