REDDITCH United’s topsy-turvy season continued on Tuesday as Darren Byfield’s side followed Saturday’s 4-1 victory at Cambridge City with a disappointing performance and 2-0 home defeat to Southern League Premier Division title hopefuls Leamington.
The Reds, who are still yet to draw a league game having won eight and lost seven of their 15 games, put Cambridge to the sword in impressive fashion and could even afford to miss two penalties.
However, another failure from 12 yards against the Brakes three days later proved more costly as the hosts spurned the chance to get back into the game against the side which defeated them in last season’s play-off semi-finals.
Leamington, 2-1 home winners over United last month, started the better of the two sides and Reds keeper Brad Catlow had to save smartly from Richard Taundry’s curling free kick.
Moments later former Redditch striker Ryan Rowe was denied by a vital Jordan Jones challenge in front of goal before the Reds created their best chance of the half when good work from Danico Johnson saw him hold off his marker before rolling the ball inside to Luke Shearer, only for his shot to lack the power to test Brakes keeper Tony Breeden.
However, the start of what was to prove a miserable night for the Reds began to unfold as Leamington took a 34th-minute lead when Catlow’s miscued clearance landed at the feet of Rowe who tapped the ball into the gaping goal.
The visitors extended their lead in the 56th minute when Jack Edwards beat two defenders on his way to the byline before cutting the ball back for Rowe to fire home.
However, three minutes later referee Matthew Law handed the Reds a potential lifeline when he pointed to the penalty spot after a collision between Shearer and Leamington defender James Mace.
Shearer, having won but missed two penalties at Cambridge, stepped side to allow Johnson the honours but the experienced Breeden saved low down to his right.
United attempted to fight their way back into the game and should have got on the scoresheet three minutes from time when Jordan Cullinane-Liburd – back at the club after returning from Stratford Town – headed wide from close range from David McDermott’s free kick.
If United rarely looked like scoring in midweek, it was a different story at the weekend as they triumphed in a dramatic game at Cambridge.
Shearer, back at the club after an impressive 2015/16 campaign, wasted little time in making his mark as he latched on to Johnson’s pass to open the scoring in the fifth minute.
However, Shearer then saw his chipped penalty easily saved by Enol Ordonez and things threatened to turn sour for the visitors soon afterwards when defender Duane Courtney was sent off for catching Cemal Ramadan with his elbow and Tunde Adewunmi exacted maximum punishment by firing the free kick under the wall and beyond Catlow to make it 1-1.
A dramatic first half continued as City went down to ten men themselves when David Femiola picked up a second booking before the half-hour mark and soon afterwards Johnson was fouled in the box before stepping up to net from the spot to put Redditch ahead in first half stoppage time.
In the second half the visitors were awarded a third penalty when Shearer was upended by Jon Kaye but, having reclaimed penalty duties, Shearer hit the frame of the goal.
Johnson missed a fine chance to make it 3-1 but did set up substitute Paul Apostocopoulos to convert with five minutes left before Max Loveridge’s brilliant 35-yard lob put the icing on the cake in added time.
The Reds, now eighth and three points outside the play-off zone, visit Dorchester Town on Saturday before facing former boss Liam McDonald and his Hednesford Town side in the Birmingham Senior Cup first round at Keys Park on Monday.