Friday, May 18th, 2012
In a match which was billed as one to watch, the fans were not to be disappointed! It was an exceptional game with action end to end …
Third place Cambridge City visited The Valley to take on a REDS team that has been further strengthened with new signings Luke Williams (Bedworth United) and Liam Hynes (Banbury United). Connor Deards and Will Richards also returned to the squad after not playing in the Birmingham Senior Cup midweek win against Stratford Town.
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A fairly even start to the game was broken when Josh McKenzie swung a cross towards the far side of the area, where Aaron Moses-Garvey was having his shirt tugged by a defender, leading the referee to point to the spot. Josh McKenzie stood up to take the penalty, his second in a week, and fired it home straight down the middle. The REDS soaked up the immediate pressure from the visitors, who did not really trouble Dean Coleman in goal and doubled the lead on 44 minutes when Connor Deards broke from his own half and rolled the ball for debutant Liam Hynes to slot past the Cambridge City keeper. The REDS went in at half time with the 2-0 lead although the woodwork came to the rescue late on in the half.
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Cambridge City increased pressure on the home side at the start of the second half, but the REDS stood strong and defended in numbers. It looked like being a long afternoon when Ross Oulton was dismissed on 58 minutes for a strong challenge on the Lillywhites substitute Craig Hammond, but a determined performance by the remaining ten men saw the Reds still creating chances with Deards seeing one effort kept out by the keeper’s legs and another header going over the bar. A shot from Luke Williams following a break down the left wing was also saved by the keeper.
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This victory was hard fought with ten men for much of the second half and provides the first league win for the new management team, following the midweek success in the Birmingham Senior Cup.
Click HERE for the match pcitures.
Well deserved ‘Man of the Match’ went to REDS captain Tom Warmer. 
