Redditch United 2, Cambridge City 0

Redditch finally brought an end to their wretched league run with this unlikely victory over high-flying visitors Cambridge.

And they did it the hard way, playing the majority of the second half with just ten men after midfielder Ross Oulton was sent off.

The Reds opened the scoring with their first attack of the game. Josh McKenzie swung a cross towards Aaron Moses-Garvey on the far side of the area but was having his short tugged by a defender prompting the referee to point to the spot.

McKenzie duly took the kick, firing the ball straight down the middle as keeper Zac Barrett dived to his right.

Spurred into action, Cambridge proceeded to dominate possession but struggled to test home keeper Dean Coleman, Danny Kelly going closest with a header that cleared the target.

In contrast, Redditch were having no such problem in front of goal and duly doubled their tally on 44 minutes. Connor Deards broke from his own half and, 40 metres later, rolled the ball to new signing Liam Hynes who stabbed it beyond Barrett for a debut goal.

Kelly struck the United crossbar with a free-kick moments before the break and the woodwork was to come to the Reds’ rescue twice more before the end as Lillywhites substitutes Craig Hammond and Lee Clift missed out late on.

Oulton saw red on 58 minutes for his challenge on Hammond but the home side still created chances with Deards seeing one effort kept out by the keeper’s legs before planting a header over the bar from six yards.

The victory ended a winless run of nine in the league and came on the back of the Birmingham Senior Cup triumph at Stratford Town in midweek.

Reds: Coleman 6, Bullimore 7, Robinson 6, WARMER 9, Hickman 8, Grimes 8, Deards 7, Oulton 3, McKenzie 6 (Osborne 66, 6), Hynes 7 (Richards 59, 6), Moses-Garvey 5 (Williams 83)