An emphatic 8-1 win away at Old Silhillians looks to have secured promotion for Redditch Hockey Club Mens Firsts, Andy Brooks putting in a captains performance with five goals despite playing in defence.
But with promotion a bare minimum and the league title very much the target at the start of the season and with close rivals Streetly still to play, celebrations were muted.
Promotion though was fully deserved after a physical game that saw Redditch play some of their best hockey all season.
That’s not saying their opponents were a walkover though, and Old Silhillians could have opened the scoring within 15 seconds of the start, an aerial ball from midfield evading Redditch defender Paul Markham’s stick, only for an attacker to clumsily run the ball out of play.
Redditch got the ball rolling in the third minute when Brooks scored from a penalty corner.
Old Silhillians replied in the 11th minute though, playing the ball around well from a penalty corner of their own before an attacker on the edge of the D fired home past Redditch keeper Scott Paul.
Redditch should have taken the lead in the 16th minute, a nicely created move from Antony Brookes playing in Richard Sellors unmarked three yards out, but shooting wide with an open goal to aim at.
But Jason Ellis Woodley was the man to put Redditch back in front, latching onto Markham’s pass before running with the ball and finding space for a smart reverse stick drive in the 22nd minute that rifled into the middle of the net.
Paul was forced into making a save in the 30th minute, while Brooks was also keeping the opposition keeper busy with a shot saved in the 32nd minute.
Then on the brink of half time, Redditch moved 3-1 ahead when Brooks scored again from a penalty corner, seeing his first shot blocked before coolly capitalising on the rebound to fire home.
The second half began with Redditch again on top, but the game was made more difficult for Old Silhillians in the 47th minute when a strong challenge from Markham left a player from the home side with a nasty looking knee injury that saw him carried off the pitch.
And the game was stopped again two minutes later while another Silhillians player received treatment after being struck in the chest from a shot from a Redditch penalty corner, Redditch winning a penalty flick as a result.
With the home side down to ten and one walking wounded, Redditch seized the initiative, and Silhillians were barely afforded a sniff.
Brooks secured his hat trick from the penalty flick and three minutes later Redditch scored perhaps their best goal of the season.
In a beautifully crafted move, Brooks passed to Pete Dawson in midfield, who found Woodley before sighting Sellors in the D, who made up for his earlier calamity to fire home to complete a wonderful passing move.
Two minutes later Redditch grabbed their sixth, a long corner was played to Brookes whose clever little flick saw Steve Cook score from close range.
With 10 minutes remaining Redditch scored their seventh, Woodley holding the ball up on the top of the D before finding an outlay to Brooks who took the ball past the Silhillians defenders to secure his fourth goal of the day.
And Brooks got his fifth and Redditch’s eighth goal from another penalty flick after two fouls in the D on Ray Jakeman and Brookes with just two minutes remaining.
With promotion now dependant on relegation and promotion matters in the higher divisions that could impact on how many teams are promoted from the lower leagues, Redditch will now look to focus on two games with Newtown and Whitchurch this weekend with the title likely to be decided on the final game of the season away at Streetly who remain just a point behind.
Adrian Young’s Mens Seconds weren’t in action on the weekend but were handed a massive boost when second and third placed Streetly and Shrewsbury could only draw with each other, leaving Redditch in pole position for promotion, with the league title guaranteed if they beet both Streetly and Shrewsbury in their final two games.
But the promotion charge is as good as over for Barry Fitzpatrick’s Mens Thirds, who are now six points behind the promotion places with two games remaining, and have also played a game extra.
They could only manage a 2-2 draw at home to Pershore.
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