MATTERS off the field app-eared to be on the mind of the Redditch United players as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Racing Club Warwick in the Dr Martens League Western Division last night.

Boss Rob Smith and his management team of Larry Chambers and former Worc-ester City favourite Paul Molloy had quit the Valley Stadium club at the weekend, leaving former Albion and Walsall striker Nicky Cross in charge.

Redditch chairman Rod Laight said the three quit the club following a stormy meeting with directors on Saturday. Laight added that the situation had become irretrievable and that Cross would remain in charge on a caretaker basis until the end of the season.

At Warwick, Redditch began brightly but were ultimately undone by home striker Paul Eden.

Ian Bennett just failed to connect with a centre from Cross on 20 minutes and was brought down 10 minutes later by Warwick 'keeper Ben Foster only for Lee Knight to blast the resulting spot kick over the bar.

Warwick's excellent young keeper snubbed another Bennett chance before Paul Eden gave the home side the lead with their first real attack.

Redditch hopes were blown away on 53 minutes when Chris Goodman fired home a free-kick from the edge of the box before Eden rattled in his second of the evening, rounding the keeper to make it 3-0 12 minutes from time.