Redditch United 1

Hucknall Town 1

HUCKNALL spoilt the Valley party in the last minute with an equalising goal courtesy of Gary Ricketts.

The Reds had gripped tightly onto their slim 33-minute lead courtesy of Norman Sylla but were undone by a simple free kick half cleared by the United defence and into the path of Hucknall's top goal getter of last season who blasted past Richard Anstiss.

On chances created the Reds would have been four goals down in the first half an hour had it not been for the heroics of defender Asa Charlton, Richard Softley again filling in at the back and keeper Anstiss.

In fact it was as early as the sixth minute that the United defence was first unlocked as Andy Todd put through Danny Bacon who rounded Anstiss only to be denied off the line by Charlton.

The former Halesowen defender was again called into action two minutes later clearing Bacon's header from the line.

Anstiss pulled off a fine save as Hucknall's Mark Smith pulled the trigger first time on 16 minutes but it was Softley who again showed his defensive capabilities after stopping another goal bound attempt this time Smith steered a cross from the right missed out the man in the middle and on to the left foot of Todd. But Softley was on hand to mop up.

A minute later and the Reds were a goal up to the shock of their visitors. Chris Gray put in a cross of his own on to the head of Sylla whose header looped over Greg Smith in the Hucknall net.

Five minutes after the interval Gray should have put the game beyond doubt as Scott Rickards whipped in a cross from the right but the Reds winger put his shot over the bar.

Reds had a good penalty claim turned down by the referee on 69 minutes as Sylla was clean through on goal and Russell Cooke looked to have dragged down the pacy frontman.

But just as the Reds had looked like they had bagged all three points the visitors came back in to the game and after missing a couple of clear chances in the final ten minutes finally made one count.

Redditch United manager Rod Brown said: "I was gutted. Over the whole game it was probably a fair result but for them to equalise in the last kick of the game is hard to take.

"We could have done with taking four points out of the last two games but saying that we're one of two clubs still unbeaten this year, us and Southport so we have to be happy with that."

Redditch United: Richard Anstiss, Matt Clarke, Asa Charlton, Mark Taylor, Richard Softley, Danny Scheppel, Simon Hollis (Neil Manton 90), Fraser McHugh (Gary Knight 73), Norman Sylla (Arthur Appleton 85), Scott Rickards, Chris Gray.

Att: 464