TEENAGE KICKS

Eighteen year old Louie Collier staked a further claim to the number ten shirt with a performance that, like the team’s, grew in confidence as the game went on and ended with a fifteen minute spell to which Redditch had no answer. The only change to the Kings eleven from last week’s extravaganza was Max Hercules in for expectant father Kane Farrell. With both teams needing the points to pull away from the danger zone, it was a slow start, but when home striker Romario Martin got a sight of goal, but put the ball well over, it was followed by a flowing Kings move ending with Louie Collier following suit and the game began to open up. Kurtis Revan sent in a low cross just missed by Jamie Lucas and a quick response by Kings saw Mitchell Weiss hit the post. As the Reds upped the pace, Melvin Minter took centre stage for a golden ten minutes, punching clear from Martin and then Jak Hickman and saving at the feet of a clearly offside player, allowed through by the assistant. The visitors finished the half strongly, to claw back the balance as a Kyle Connolly free kick across goal beat everyone and a flurry of corners saw three successive goal bound shots blocked. While high on effort, it had not been a spectacular half, with the ball spending more time in the air than on the ground and it was to be hoped that things would change in the second period. Fortunately, they did, with Stevie Ward setting up an opportunity in the first minute for Louis Collier and although he dragged the shot inches wide, he was honing in on the target. At the other end, the pacy Romario Martin twice got clear of the Kings backline, but Melvin Minter came out to make two further top drawer saves and as the game swung from end to end, a Max Hercules cross was inches away from the outstretched boot of Mitchell Weiss. Then came the moment of quality that defines games as Louie Collier’s insightful forward diagonal pass was into the path of Weiss and the striker finished with a characteristic pass across the keeper to the small target between outstretched glove and far post. It had the hallmark of a winner, but United fought back with a Callum Coyle shot just over and then Minter got the slice of luck his performance probably deserved when he spilled a shot but the ball bounced back into his arms off the incoming Coyle. That apart, Kings were looking increasingly in control and when Max Hercules sent a last minute cross that Weiss flicked onto the keeper it was a fitting climax when Collier hammered home the rebound. The only blot on the landscape of a very good day was a sickening landing by Kyle Connolly resulting in a trip to hospital and the good wishes of both clubs for a speedy recovery go with him.

Kings’ Off Field Man of the Match award goes to Stewart Mitchell, who gave up his season ticket for Watford v Chelsea to step in as emergency Kitman. Above and beyond Stewie! Thanks!