Redditch 20

Bishops Castle 15

THE Kingfishers marched into the semi-final of the North Midlands Shield with a well-deserved victory over higher league Bishops Castle.

A new look back line was used with a competitive debut for Aaron Atkinson and starts for Lee Middleton and Lee Cross.

Castle started the better side but it took 15 minutes for their pressure to be converted into points as Redditch's defence disappeared and a breakaway try was scored.

This was followed by a pushover try by the visitors who doubled their lead soon after.

A change in the Kingfishers' front row paid dividends seeing the forwards pick themselves up and start dominating.

On the stroke of half-time Neil Hodgkins stole a Castle lineout and ran half the length of the pitch to score a fine individual effort.

Redditch started the second half exactly as they finished the first. This time Joe Alekna picked the ball up just inside the half and with one of his usual bullocking runs, made mincemeat of the Castle defence before touching down under the posts. Middleton converted.

Shortly after Middleton added a penalty score but the visitors were next on the scoresheet until debutante Atkinson squirmed his way through three Castle forwards before outsprinting the defence for the last score of the game.

Gareth Davies was Redditch's man of the match.

Redditch will now play Birmingham Solihull in the semi-final at Bromsgrove Road on Saturday (KO 2.30pm).