Sutton Coldfield Town (0) 1 REDDITCH UNITED (1) 1

REDDITCH'S search for a win stretched to eight games following this uninspiring mid-table tussle.

Rob Smith gave old boy Matt Pugh a place in the starting eleven following his midweek switch from Alvechurch, to shore up the defence following the disastrous cup loss to Stourport.

The Reds drew first blood after being gifted the lead after 11 minutes. Micky Moore's right wing cross was dropped by Royal's keeper Matt Ford and as Nicky Cross moved in, Ford's attempt at gathering the ball saw him push it over his goal line.

Neither side created a host of chances in the opening 45 minutes, as the closest the Royal's went to scoring was through a Willie Batchelor's header which was well saved by Dave Adey.

The nearest Reds came to doubling their lead was from a Krystof Kotylo effort.

Sutton began brighter in the second half and it paid dividends when Luke Vincent latched onto Craig Dutton's quickly taken free kick to lob the advancing Adey.

Vincent's strike ended a goal drought of 590 minutes for the Royals, who were given a greater incentive to snatch the points when Reds' midfielder Richard Field was sent off for his second bookable offence.

Sutton pushed forward with substitute Kirk Maragh, Mark Holden and Dutton all having chances, but none of which severely tested the visitors defence as both sides had to settle for a point.

Redditch: Adey, P Moore, Reece, Manton, Pugh, Field, Williams, Kotylo, Cross, M Moore, Smith. Subs, Danks, Bennett, Barry.

Sent off: Field

Attendance: 130

Man of the match: Pugh