MANAGER Liam McDonald dedicated Redditch United’s play-off-place-sealing victory over Kettering to much-loved vice chair Sallie Swan, who died on Friday night.

United defeated the Poppies 2-1 at the Valley Stadium on Monday to reach the 80-point mark and take a huge stride towards the end of season promotion party.

It was emotional night for the club, with the management team joining the players on the pitch to take part in a minute’s applause in honour of Sallie, wife of chairman Chris Swan, after she had passed away peacefully in the presence of friends and family following a long battle with cancer.

McDonald said: “Sallie was a fantastic person with a wicked sense of humour and she desperately wanted the club to succeed. Before the game the lads were upset, but they wanted to win the game for her and book our place in the play-offs.

“It was an emotional night, but I thought we produced one of the best team defensive efforts I have ever witnessed.”

A statement from the club said: “Chris, Craig, Tom, Lara and Dan would like to thank the heartfelt warmth from the Redditch United community and also thank Macmillan, Marie Curie and the Stratford Hospice for their care. There is a deep hole in our lives as we remember a special lady.”

Victory took Redditch to the 80-point mark with two games remaining and while Kettering and Weymouth could draw level, United’s far superior goal difference makes them almost impossible to overtake.

But the Reds will be keen to finish as high as they possibly can as the sides that take second and third spots will have home advantage in the one-legged semi-final. The play-off semi-finals are next week, on the usual evening that the home club plays its midweek matches, followed by the final on Monday, May 2 (3pm ko).

United are set to tackle Chippenham tonight (7.45pm ko) after the game was called off because of a waterlogged pitch on Saturday.

They end the regular season on Saturday at Frome (3pm ko).

McDonald said: “We are unbeaten at home in 21 games so I want to finish as high as we can and make sure we have home advantage.

“But wherever we finish I am confident we will do well.

“It’s a huge achievement to make the play-offs but there’s still a lot to do if we’re going to win promotion.”