Sunday was less successful for Redditch Mens Firsts as they were sent crashing out of the England Hockey Mens Vase after losing 6-3 at home to Kent side Old Bordenian.
Redditch made a strong start to the game and went ahead in the sixth minute through Richard Sellors’ deflected shot following a penalty corner.
The visitors gradually made their way into the game, forcing Scott Paul into making a save in the eighth minute.
The scores were level in the 16th minute, a defensive error from captain Andy Brooks allowing an Old Bordenian attacker time on the ball before shooting, the ball deflecting off Paul on it’s way into the goal, with Brooks backtracking unable to stop the ball on the line.
And the visitors were ahead four minutes later, an Old Bordenian attacker allowed a clear shot on goal by the Redditch defence.
The Kingfishers fought back immediately, and equalised from another penalty corner with Steve Cook on hand to fire in at the back post.
Paul was forced into action again in the 23rd minute, saving well from a brisk Bordenian counter attack.
But with scored level and looking like staying that way until half time, Bordenian countered again, with a shot from the edge of the D finding its way into the net to put the visitors ahead on the stroke of half time.
The half time boost seemed to fire up the visitors even more, and effectively won the game in the first seven minutes following the interval.
Bordenian tore through the Redditch defence in the 39th minute to go further ahead, and two minutes later a harsh umpiring decision saw Bordenian awarded a free hit, from which they capitalised to grab their fifth goal.
And a minute later the game was won for the visitors, a penalty corner played around well before scoring.
From there a comeback for Redditch never looked likely, although the Kingfishers weren’t without their chances.
Steve Dawes making a return to first team action after several months on the sidelines was just unable to get on the end of a Brooks cross in the 51st minute, and four minutes later was denied by the goalkeeper with a close range effort after good work from Antony Brookes.
With 12 minutes remaining Redditch hopes were raised when Steve Cook fired home after good work from the Kingfishers midfield.
Five minutes later and the deficit should have been narrowed further, Brooks hitting the crossbar from a penalty corner.
But Bordenian never looked like being seriously threatened and Redditch will now have more time to focus on league glory after seeing the chase for silverware end for another season.
But elsewhere there was more to cheer about as Redditch’s Girls Under 16’s side progressed to the quarter finals of the England Hockey Girls Under 16’s Plate after beating Worcester 2-0 at Bromsgrove Road.
An emotional double from Rachel Nevitt won the game for Redditch after a tight game.
The first came in the 25th minute, cueing raucous celebrations on both the sidelines and on the pitch, before she added her second with a simple tap in with nine minutes remaining.
Combined with solid work in the defence from Danni Nevitt and Beth Vincent, and some decent goalkeeping from Stacey Cowley, Redditch rarely looked like conceding, leaving Worcester frustrated and Redditch coach Paul Cowley visibly delighted with his teams efforts.
Redditch now face a trip to Reading on March 7th with a place in the semi-finals at stake.
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