Hednesford Town were able to progress into the last 16 of the Birmingham Senior Cup thanks to strikes in each half from George Carline and Jamie Matthews, his first goal for the club, which were enough to see off Redditch United.
Manager Liam McDonald gave midfielder Desean Martin his full debut for the Pitmen while Kaylum Mitchell, signed just ahead of this game from Arnold Town, and Myles Phipps, called up from the Under 19s, both made the substitutes bench.
The Pitmen were forced into an early change due to injury as after just eight minutes though when Simeon Maye was forced off, being replaced by Matthews.
In the opening 20 minutes Redditch United goalkeeper Brad Catlow was twice called into action to deny Joel Logan before the Pitmen eventually took the lead in the 22nd minute when Carline found the back of the net against his former side.
The visitors went close to finding an equaliser seven minutes before the break with defender Clayton McDonald seeing a header sail just wide of the upright following a free kick into the penalty area.
HT: 1-0
Just over sixty seconds into the second half they were level though when McDonald fired home from 12 yards after Redditch had been awarded a penalty.
The Pitmen weren’t to be deterred though and regained the lead in the 55th minute. Good work from Logan picked out striker Matthews in the middle and he was able to head home his first goal for the club.
There was little to really report in the final 30 minutes although with five minutes to play the visitors were reduced to ten men through injury; however they did force a late free kick which Town stopper Lloyd Ransome had to make a save from in order to preserve his sides passage into the next round.
Hednesford Town: Ransome, Wright, Bramall, Martin, Williams, Flanagan, Logan (Mitchell), Maye (Matthews 8), Dunkley (Phipps 67), Singh, Carline
Subs not used: Crane, Hutton
Redditch United: Catlow, Young, Brown, Washbourne, McDonald, Cullinane-Liburd, Bako, McDermott, Shearer, Taylor, Thompson
Subs: Johnson, Roberts, Spink, Loveridge, Jones
Attendance: 262
Star Man: Joel Logan
