Redditch United 1 Moor Green 3

POOR Neil Olden.

Without making any glaring errors the goalkeeper, signed after former club Bloxwich United went bust, has let in ten goals in his first two games.

Out of the frying pan...

Though manager Rod Brown would probably be loath to admit it, The Reds were never likely to be looking at anything other than damage limitation in sub-zero temperatures at the Valley Stadium.

Saturday's 6-0 mauling from Clevedon has left morale at a low ebb but United did not show it and stuck to their task in the opening exchanges.

Against Premier Division Moor Green the team who have leaked 26 goals in their last seven outings made a solid enough start but once the first goal went in Redditch heads dropped in an all-too-familiar fashion.

To rub salt in the wound it was former United fans' favourite Martin Myers who struck the first blow.

Player of the Year last season, Myers moved up a division in the close season and it was his weakly hit shot, on his first return to the Valley, which slipped under Olden in the 29th minute.

The battered keeper had already made three impressive blocks but was picking the ball out of the net again five minutes later when Nathan Lamey rifled home past him from twelve yards after being picked out on the left hand side of the area.

The ever eager Paul Danks ended his six match goal drought to give the hosts a glimmer of hope in the 36th minute.

And after Olden thwarted Dennis Mulholland with an impressive reaction save on 43 minutes Danks could have equalised on the stroke of half time with a dipping free kick from fully 30 yards.

But the visitors were not rattled and Wes Joyce gave notice of their intent on the hour mark when he swivelled and hit the post, and ten minutes later it was game over when Lamey claimed his second after a mammothMulholland free kick sailed the length of the field unopposed and the striker had a simple task to clip it past the onrushing Olden.

There was time for Reds midfielder Richard Field to be substituted with a back problem before Lamey completed his hat-trick a minute from time with another clinical finish past Olden after advancing to the left hand side of the area and finishing with an angled drive.

Redditch can take crumbs of comfort for their showing against a Premier Division side and an end to the distraction of the League Cup could prove a blessing in disguise with more pressing matters at stake.

But Brown has it all to do to again lift his side for the visit of mid-table Bedworth on Saturday.

United's last clean sheet, in their glorious 0-0 FA Cup draw with Kettering on September 29 seems a long time ago.