Redditch United 4, Bideford 1

Redditch recovered from conceding an early goal to basement boys Bideford and romped to a convincing win to bolster their title hopes.

And it was skipper Ashley Sammons and new signing Sam Merson who led the way, the Reds captain setting up three of the goals including one for the debutant midfielder.

There were just two minutes on the clock when the visitors stunned Reds with the game’s opener, right-back Ian Sampson finding the top right-hand corner from 25 yards.

The goal knocked the league leaders off their stride until the inspirational Sammons began to orchestrate his side’s fightback.

On 26 minutes it was his inch-perfect corner that was met by George Carline who powered a header beyond keeper Kyle Moore and into the roof of the net.

Curvin Ellis, the second of two debutants in the Reds starting line-up was denied by a perfectly timed challenge in front of goal by Sampson before Redditch stuck again eight minutes before the break.

Again it was Sammons at the heart of things with a curling free-kick that the keeper could only parry and Robbie Thompson-Brown was first to react with a smart volley into the net.

The United captain should have added his name to the scoresheet at the start of the second period but, after nipping in behind the Bideford defence, he sliced his shot wide of the target.

Jose Veiga was called into action in the Reds goal ten minutes later when he did well to push a well-struck BillyTucker effort away fro a corner but that was as close as the visitors went to troubling their hosts.

In contrast, Redditch were rampant with Merson making it 3-1 on 64 minutes after Sammons’ wizardry had left keeper Moors sprawled on the floor.

There was nearly a second for the son of former Villa and Arsenal star Paul Merson soon after when good work from Ellis and Sammons set him up only for Moore to save well.

And with three minutes remaining, he cheekily clipped the ball past the keeper only to be held back by defender Dan Harrison who was able to hoof the ball off the line. It seemed everyone spotted the incident apart from the men in black.

Ironically, Redditch’s final goal did come from the penalty spot, substitute Luke Shearer making no mistake in the 90th minute after he had been brought down by Bideford skipper Chris McGrath.

Reds: Veiga 7, Cullinane-Liburd 6, Flanagan 7, Carline 6 (Bako 72), Mutton 7, Richards 6, Thompson-Brown 7 (Shearer 67, 7), Maye 6, Ellis 7, SAMMONS 8 (Hallahan 78), Merson 8. Subs (not used): Young, Bridgewater