Ah, the warmer weather is here at last. The last time I visited today's destination, the Valley Stadium in Redditch, it was a January afternoon, 4 years ago, with a raw northerly wind blowing down the pitch. Funnily enough, that day's match featured the same opponents, Banbury United.
After changing trains at Birmingham New Street, I take the Redditch train and admire the countryside scenery in the Barnt Green and Alvechurch area. After a 35 minute journey I arrive at Redditch and quickly find a cafe for an all day breakfast meal. I have enough time to have a quick look round the Kingfisher Shopping Centre and then I walk up the nearby Bromsgrove Road to Redditch United's home.
There is a long drive down the hill to where the stadium is located. As you enter the ground, there is a club shop immediately on your left (where I buy a club badge for £3:50), with a tea bar beyond that and then there is the impressive looking stand with seating on the lower tier and then boxes above them. The changing rooms are located underneath this stand. Down the bottom (southern end) of the ground is a terrace which has a row of seating at the top with a covering roof. On the side opposite the stand is a covered terrace (seen in the cover photo). The top end of the ground is uncovered, with just a path.
Redditch United have a small mathematical chance of reaching the play-offs but will probably have to win all their remaining games to do so. A 0-4 home defeat on Saturday against high flying Truro City has not done their confidence any good and they sold their promising young 20 goal striker, Jermaine Hylton, to Swindon Town a few months ago too.
Banbury United on the other hand are playing for their Premier Division lives as they are looking likely to be relegated, with them firmly in 22nd place out 23 teams.
When the teams troop out on to the field, Redditch are in their usual red and black strip while the visitors are in their change strip of all yellow.
After a slow start, Redditch dominate the play for large periods of the first half with No.10, Ashley Sammons marshalling their midfield play well.
I notice that in the Redditch line up that they have 2 players in midfield who were playing at a lower level last season. They are Simeon Maye (ex-Boldmere St.Michaels) and George Carline (ex-Cadbury Athletic) and they certainly don't look out of place in this company.
Redditch deservedly take the lead in the 39th minute when after some good build up play, Sammons shoots home after the ball is knocked down to him. It's his 16th goal of the season so far.
So it's 1-0 to the home side at the interval and are looking likely to be building on this lead after the interval.
It's certainly pleasantly warm today, with many spectators in shirt sleeves and it feels about 17 degrees Celsius.
The second half starts and it's Redditch who are still having more of the play. After 49 minutes their young No.9, Courtney Baker-Richardson, sees his shot hit the post and then 8 minutes later, their energetic No.7, Leigh Phillips, takes the ball round the Banbury keeper but then from a narrow angle he too hits the post with his shot.
The Redditch captain, Ashley Sammons, suffers a heavy challenge and it's noticeable to me he's not so influential and effective for the rest of the game. Banbury United manage to get back in to the game and their forward Leam Howards sees his shot well saved by Sam Hornby in the Redditch goal after 64 minutes.
With just 8 minutes to go, Redditch pay the price for their earlier misses when from a free kick, they are unable to clear the ball and it eventually falls to the Banbury No.5, Sam Westbrook, who manages to shoot past Hornby.
Although Carline manages to get in a header on the Banbury goal with just 2 minutes to go, unfortunately he is only able to direct it in to the Banbury keeper's safe hands (as shown below).
So the final whistle blows and the draw is no good for either team. It surely ends Redditch's final hopes of reaching the play-off places and leaves Banbury with an 11 point gap to make up on Frome Town to escape relegation with just 5 games to go.
I think Redditch under the guidance of Liam Mc.Donald have had a good season on the whole with a young improving team and now need to look for a reliable striker to make progress yet again next season.
Banbury on the other hand will probably need to regroup next time round if they are relegated.
Match entrance fee: £10
Match attendance: 285
Match programme: £2
Match entertainment: 6.5/10
More match photos can be viewed at http://facebook/wmtraveller
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