Ten-Man Marketmen Beat See Off Redditch

The weather caused the postponement of the crucial game in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central between bottom-markers AFC Rushden & Diamonds and fifth-placed Rushall Olympic on Tuesday evening.

However, the other scheduled match at Bloomfields between Needham Market and Redditch United did go ahead, with the Marketmen pulling three points further clear of the relegation places, courtesy of a hard-earned 1-0 win against the tenth-placed Reds.

But Kevin Horlock’s side had to ride their luck and were immensely grateful to their highly rated goalkeeper Marcus Garnham for making a number of vital saves.

The hosts almost had the perfect start when, inside the opening 3 minutes, Luke Brown’s fierce effort cannoned back off a post.

Garnham then pulled off three tremendous saves in a matter of minutes to keep the scoreline blank.

Then, with a minute of the first half remaining, the Marketmen suffered a massive blow when they had Christian Frimpong sent-off for a second bookable offence.

Garnham saved his side again seconds before the half-time whistle when he denied Redditch’s Ryan Wollacott.

Despite being down to ten-men, the host started the second half on top and Tom Fitzgerald saw a curling effort hit a post and fall safely as far as Redditcy were concerned.

Then, shortly after the hour-mark, Luke Ingram was brought down in the area and the Marketmen were awarded a penalty which the normally reliable Ingram duly converted to make it 1-0.

The ten-men battled to hold on and 2 minutes from the end of normal time, Garnham again denied the visitors with a one-on-one save against Riley O’Sullivan.

Horlock’s men held firm for the 6 minutes of stoppage time to earn a valuable three points.