Redditch United 1

Harrogate Town 3

ROD Brown's announcement that this would be his final game in charge seemed to have left the Redditch players in a daze at the start of this game.

Woeful defending gifted Harrogate a two-goal lead inside the opening 13 minutes and it was an advantage they never looked like relinquishing.

Rookie keeper Ryan Cornelius was cruelly exposed after just five minutes when Marc Smith headed on a long throw-in and Ben Jones powered a point-blank header into the net.

The visitors doubled the lead when the United defence only cleared as far as Lee Philpott on the edge of the area who hooked the ball over Cornelius' head.

But this double blow spurred Reds on and they had enough chances to claw their way back into the game.

Simon Hollis was denied by a good save from Michael Price while Jermaine Clarke's follow-up was blocked on the line.

Midway through the half Craig Wilding latched onto a weak defensive header but his shot thumped against the foot of the post.

Hollis sent another header over the bar before the break with Redditch's Richard Field firing over early in the second period.

Chris Ellerker had an excellent game in defence for Harrogate and he almost capped his starring role with a 67th minute goal only to see his header hit the post.

But it was the visitors who extended their lead on 74 minutes. Leading scorer Danny Holland held off defender Scott Dann and drilled his shot low past keeper Cornelius.

Field headed a consolation nine minutes from time but it was too late to give the manager a winning finale.

Reds: Cornelius 6, Creighton 6, PEARCE 8, Taylor 7 (King 69, 6), Dann 7, Doyle 7 (Moore 72), Field 7, Broad 7, Clarke 7, Wilding 6, Hollis 6. Subs (not used): Softley, Palmer, Murphy.

Harrogate: Price, Heard, Dunning, Wood, Mason, ELLERKER, Jones (Grant 72), Hunter, Smith, Holland, Philpott. Subs (not used): Stoneman, Nogan, Lennon, Sutcliffe.

Referee: Mr M Dexter (Leicester)