Moor Green 1 (1) REDDITCH UNITED 1 (0)

THE Reds put in a battling performance to secure a share of the spoils and ruin Moor Green's 100 per cent home league record.

Redditch, fielding new signing Paul Danks, made a positive start against a physical Green side which saw Jamie Hart and Ross Knight on the end of some heavy challenges in the opening 10 minutes.

The tackle on Knight, back in the team after a six-game absence because of an ankle injury, won Reds a free-kick deep inside Green's half.

Redditch almost capitalised as Paul Molloy headed Micky Williams free-kick onto the bar with former Reds keeper Jim Arnold beaten.

Spurred on, Reds almost scored with their next attack which saw neat approach work from Knight and Hart to put Danks in with a chance of opening his account, but the striker's effort was foiled by Arnold's outstretched leg.

Visiting keeper Dave Adey was next in action, gathering Jamie Petty's deflected strike from the edge of the box after the Redditch defence had failed to clear the ball.

But Petty made no mistake on 39 minutes when he struck home a perfectly placed 20-yard free kick from directly in front of the Redditch goal.

Moor Green midfielder Richard Softley should have doubled the lead in the dying moments of the half but somehow managed to miss the target from two-yards after fine work down the left.

Green were made to pay for the miss four minutes after the break when Mark Dearlove headed home Mark Smith's corner.

A stinging shot from Knight forced Arnold into a fine save and Danks saw his driven effort flash wide of the post as Redditch took control after the goal.

But in the final 10 minutes Moor Green stepped up a gear as they went in search of preserving their 100 per cent record.

But they wasted two gift chances, the best coming in the last minute with Softley again missing open goal from six yards after a fine cross by substitute Craig Poutney.

Redditch: Adey, Knight, M Smith, Molloy, Manton, Mulders, Williams, Dearlove, Danks, Hart, Cope (Cross 45). Unused subs: Sutton, Burke.

Booked: M Smith, Cope

Attendance: 292

Man of the match: Dearlove