Dynamo exit FA Cup

LOUGHBOROUGH Dynamo’s hopes of their own FA Cup ‘giant killing’ were thwarted by a different giant.

Redditch centre forward Jemiah Richards was at least a foot taller than any of the home side’s defenders and he proved to the difference. But Loughborough can be proud of their performance against a side from two levels higher with vastly superior resources. United tried to blitz Loughborough in the opening 10 minutes but Dynamo did well to get used to the higher quality of opposition. The visitors should have gone ahead in the first minute. After winning the ball with what looked to be a blatant handball, the referee let play continue and Marco Adaggio was put through in on goal, rounded the keeper and then wastefully blazed over. Loughborough responded well, Calum Ross sending two efforts wide. Adaggio then had a great chance but he headed Craig Pead’s centre straight at Laurie Pearson in the Loughborough goal while the lively Thomas Warmer fired over twice. The game settled down after these opening exchanges but Dynamo’s defence kept busy by Adaggio and Richards.

Dynamo also had their chances in the second half. Ash Way had a shot deflected just over and from the resulting corner Danny Gibbons flashed a header just wide. Karl Noble rounded off a good Loughborough move by shooting just over. In the second half Dynamo upped their game and started to boss possession but in truth they failed to test the Redditch keeper enough. They came closest to scoring 10 minutes after the break when Noble did well to win the ball. He fed Carl Adams who in turn played in sub Jake Dale Brown in a more advanced role than usual on the right wing and his cross come shot came agonisingly close to giving the hosts the lead as it hit the bar and bounced to safety.
Despite no longer controlling the midfield Redditch carved out the better chances. Jordan Fitzpatrick put an effort from 30 yards just over while Pearson did brilliantly to deny Adaggio twice. But two goals in six minutes won it. The first was on he counter when Warmer’s excellent run from his own box ended with Pead and Richard inter-linking perfectly before sub Phillip Green was played in behind and finished well. Minutes later a dejected Loughborough conceded a crucial second when they left Richards for the first time in the area and he expertly finished Kevin Spencer’s drilled cross. From there Redditch controlled the game but Loughborough should have set up a nervous finish when Carl Adams’ cut back was met by Alex Johnson on the volley but with the keeper stranded he could not direct it on target. Tempers threatened to boil over in the last few minutes after bizarrely Adaggio’s punishment for an elbow on Adam Hohn was just a free-kick with every squad member from both sides arguing at the final whistle.

Loughborough, as they do every week, stayed out on the pitch and probably missed their biggest compliment – the wild celebrations emanating from the Redditch dressing room.

Report by Richard Rush

Second half goals from Dexter Ravenhill and Jemiah Richards guided the Reds through to the next round of the FA Cup.

And it was no more than they deserved after dominating the chances against their Evo-Stik Division One South hosts. Indeed, Redditch should have had the tie wrapped up inside the opening 15 minutes.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Craig Pead sent Marco Addagio in behind the defence but after rounding the keeper, he failed to find the unmarked Jemiah Richards in front of goal. Five minutes later and Pead’s inch perfect cross from the right found Addagio eight yards out but his header was a good height for home keeper Laurie Pearson who turned the effort over the bar. And there was another glorious chance for Redditch on 15 minutes. This time it was Richards who collected a Pead free-kick but his six-yard effort struck Alton Rennalls on the line, the ball bouncing into the arms of the Loughborough keeper.
From then on, the Evo-Stik side came more into contention without forcing Reds keeper Nick Bussey into action. The closest they went before the break was from a corner but Danny Gibbons headed over.

Loughborough made a change at the start of the second half, replacing winger Calum Ross with Jake Dale-Brown. And the youngster seemed to get the best out of his teammates. His right wing cross clipped the Redditch angle on the hour as he began tormenting the United defence.
But two goals in five minutes wrapped up the tie in favour of Matt Gardner’s side. The breakthrough came on 72 minutes. Richards failed to control Addagio’s ball in from the right but Ravenhill pounced to send a low shot beyond the Dynamo keeper from 18 yards. Loughborough’s hopes were totally dashed when Richards bagged the second following some lovely approach work from the outstanding Jordan Fitzpatrick and Kevin Spencer. There was late pressure on Bussey’s goal with substitute Alex Johnson putting a header over the bar from five yards before the Reds keeper denied Luke Edwards with a smart save at the foot of his post.

Loughborough: Pearson, Rennalls, Lester (Verrall 85), Noble, Hohn, Gibbons, Ross (Dale-Brown 46), Morgan, Edwards, Adams, Way (Johnson 63). Subs (not used): Williams, Stephenson, Clamp, Flinders.

Redditch: Bussey, Spencer, Timmins, Fitzpatrick, Hull, Jones, Pead (Green 64), Warmer, Richards (Darby 89), Adaggio, Ravenhill (Walters 81). Subs (not used): Quaynor, Gayton, Hamilton, Taylor.

Reprt by David Lawrence