Nationwide Conference North

Redditch United 2

This is the sort of performance Redditch United will need to put in on a regular basis if they are to avoid relegation.

It wasn't a pretty match at Borough Park, and the performance from Rod Brown's men won't win any medals for style, but it proved effective as they beat Workington 2-1.

The result comes in stark contrast to the 6-3 hammering the Reds suffered three weeks ago at the hands of the Cumbrians.

The visitors picked up five bookings as proceedings threatened to boil over late on, and scorer Asa Charlton also received his marching orders three minutes from time after collecting a second yellow card.

Striker Craig Wilding handed Redditch the lead after 19 minutes, driving home from a narrow angle to silence a hostile home crowd.

But United would have been behind by that point had Dennis Pearce, playing in a back three, not headed a Matt Henney shot off the line at the other end just minutes earlier.

Having taken the lead, Redditch failed to capitalise on their advantage.

Instead it was Workington who piled on the pressure, testing Redditch's debutant keeper Nathan Vaughan.

Craig Johnston fired a promising free-kick over the crossbar and several opportunities were then blocked after Vaughan, signed from Newport County, dropped a cross as the half came to a close.

It wasn't the best of debuts for the stopper who arrived at the club following a loan spell with Southern League Premier Division high-fliers Chippenham Town.

Workington netted just two minutes after the restart when Graham Goulding fed the lively Carl Heineger who slotted home.

And when Matt Henney came crashing down in the box two minutes later, it looked as if the Cumbrians had turned the game in their favour.

But from the resulting penalty Johnston fired inches wide of the post and this seemed to lift Rod Brown's side.

Redditch regained the lead on 72 minutes when a Simon Hollis corner found Asa Charlton who turned home at the near post. The goal was allowed to stand despite Workington's protests that goalkeeper Adam Collin was being held in the goalmouth melee.

Redditch battled well to retain their advantage, although Charlton was dismissed for a second yellow late on, a challenge that prompted an ugly scuffle in the centre circle involving a number of players from both sides.

n Workington: Collin, Hewson (Hopper, 43), Hoolickin, May, Gray (Green, 53), Henney, HHeineger, Bicks, Johnston, Goulding, Dillon. Subs (not used): McCluskey, Gordon, Summersgill

Reds: Vaughan 6, M Clarke 6 , Pearce 6, Creighton 7 (Feeley 84), Dann 7, Taylor 6, Hollis 6, Wilding 8, HJ CLARKE 8, Rickards 6, Charlton 6. Subs (not used): King, Moore, Doyle.

Referee: Mr D Lee (Morecambe)

Attendance: 487