Rocester 2 Redditch United 0

REDS boss Nicky Cross warned his side heads would roll after another unacceptable performance but his words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears after a poor defeat to a Rocester side slaughtered 5-1 by United at the Valley earlier in the season.

The visitors, firmly anchored in the bottom six, were on their way to a third successive 2-0 reverse after 75 seconds.

Andy Bradley failed to clear after panic in the Redditch defence and Harvey Russell duly fired home to set the tone for a scrappy match.

The hosts were workmanlike but thoroughly deserved their win after creating, and missing, several chances.

Redditch were anonymous with a Paul Danks effort wide of goal on 17 minutes and a Nigel Niblett shot which was saved the only chances of note before the break.

United stopper Steve Frost almost let in Rocester captain Richard Owen with a weak back header and Reds keeper Harvey Willetts had to be alert to block a shot from sub Richard Swain before Owen was again wasteful before the break.

Cross threw on Michael Campbell in place of the ineffectual Neil Beagan but it was leading scorer Danks who looked the likeliest saviour.

Danks bent a 20 yard free kick around a five man wall only to see Rocester shot-stopper John Edensor acrobatically tip it behind just after the interval.

Minutes later Danks cut in and flashed an effort narrowly wide of Edensor's goal.

But Rocester recovered with Swain inches from sliding home a whipped Martin Leadbetter cross on 69 minutes.

As gaps appeared in the Reds defence Swain pulled it back for Rob Myatt via the hapless Frost but the Rocester striker was thwarted by a brilliant reaction save from Willetts.

Myatt returned the favour nine minutes from time but Swain went down as Rocester's penalty appeals were waved away.

But the first half substitute, a replacement for injured goalscorer Russell, was not be denied and finished any hopes of a United comeback four minutes from time.

He stayed onside on the left hand side of the area and cut in past one defender before shimmying to deceive Willetts and firing across him into the corner.