REDDITCH paid the penalty as ex-Studley striker Craig Pountney ended the Reds 14 match unbeaten league run with two spot kicks.

In a bad tempered affair at Common Road the man in black made sure both sides were down to ten men before the break.

But it was never going to be a quiet afternoon for the visiting Redditch as their former captain Lee Knight, who left the Valley under a dark cloud, now captains the Robins.

And it predictably took just four minutes before Knight grappled with Richard Softley in his penalty area but it was quickly diffused before it became a full 22-man brawl.

Minutes later shocked Redditch defender Gary Knight made his way to an early bath as he was shown a straight red for bringing down Poutney in the area.

The former Studley hitman, who made the step up to the Western division to Evesham United earlier this season, eased his shot passed Richard Anstiss in the Redditch goal.

Not to be out-done Lee Knight was next to see red as he scythed down Matty Hall a minute before the interval.

But despite more dominant possession by Redditch after the break it was Poutney again who doubled the Robins advantage on the hour.

Evesham set their counterattack trap as the Reds piled on the pressure and Poutney sprung free only to be up-ended this time by Quentin Townsend. There was no sending off - or booking as Pountney again held his nerve to side-foot the ball past Anstiss.

In a bold attempt to rescue a point Reds boss Rod Brown threw on all his benched strikers - Richard Burgess, Jimmy Quiggan and Martin Myers - but Evesham defended stoutly to hold on and stretch their unbeaten run to six.

Redditch United: Richard Anstiss, Quentin Townsend, Gary Suchawycz (sub Martin Myers 75) Mark Taylor, Gary Knight (sent off 20) Richard Softley (sub Richard Burgess 56) Matty Hall, Craig Woodley (booked 35 sub Jimmy Quiggin 75) Mark Shepherd, Scott Voice (booked 41) Alex Cowley. Subs not used Richard Leadbeater, Neil Manton.