Redditch United 0 Gloucester City 1

THE second biggest crowd this season went to the Valley expecting the Reds to claim the championship trophy.

But expectations disappeared as Gloucester netted a 14th minute winner through player manager Chris Burns.

So the decider will be away at Cirencester in the last game of the season on Saturday.

A win would see the Reds take the trophy and as long as Gloucester don't knock more than 10 goals past midtable Ilkeston in their last game United should know a draw could also do them...just.

It wasn't for the lack of commitment or effort on the Reds part on Saturday but more of a matter of luck.

United hitman Richard Leadbeater saw his flick from a Sean Flynn free kick hit the post and rebound out to safety as early as the third minute before Gloucester's first of three chances all game was converted to give them the win.

Gary Knight upended tricky City forward Lee Smith on the left wing giving the opportunity to Neil Mustoe to swing in a dangerous ball that was headed away for a corner.

From the resulting dead ball Smith produced a venomous left foot cross come shot half parried by Reds keeper Richard Anstiss only to fall to Burns who jumped high enough to head in at the back post.

And if ever it was the right time to use the term "shut up shop" this would have been it.

Gloucester stifled, annoyed and angered the Redditch strike force pulling everyone behind the ball.

But the Reds kept going and Alex Cowley hit another post on 19 minutes as his superb cross surprised the Gloucester defence and team mate Martin Myers who missed an easy tap in.

From then on the Reds hurried and harried the Tigers and had a wealth of good opportunities to level.

On 57 minutes Leadbeater saw his effort go agonisingly wide after a super cross from Mark Shepherd.

Reds winger Matty Hall was brought on at half time at the expense of Myers and it took Hall just minutes to make an impression.

Tigers defenders were so far back they were all on the goal line as a ruck of defenders managed to clear Hall's effort of 64 minutes.

And arguably the Reds best chance fell to Leadbeater again on 71 minutes. Matty Gardiner was now forcing his way forward and he clipped a ball to Shepherd who knocked down to Leadbeater 12 yards out but Matt Bath in goal for the Tigers was up to the challenge.

n Redditch United: Richard Anstiss, Neil Manton, Matty Gardiner, Mark Taylor, Gary Knight, Richard Softley (Danny Scheppel 72), Sean Flynn, Martin Myers (Matty Hall 45), Richard Leadbeater, Mark Shepherd (Richard Burgess 72), Alex Cowley. Subs not used Quentin Townsend Scott Voice.