View Point

Redditch United 5-2 Barwell (Southern League Central Division)

It's official, Redditch United have become only the second team in world football to go carbon neutral, matching the efforts of the world's first, Forest Green Rovers, for reducing their emissions footprint.

Credit to the Southern League Premier Central Division side who are also doing ok this season in the playoff places, unbeaten in three, they come into tonight's game off the back of two good local derby wins against Stourbridge and Halesowen.

For Barwell things haven't been going so great. Jimmy Ginnelly's Canaries have been an ok watch under my eyes this season but without a win in seven they have lost their last five and sit dangerously close now to the relegation places.

It's Friday night football for a change, these two usually keep Monday nights free for their home midweekers, flicking things around perhaps in the name of love? Not yet Valentines Day, it allows me to follow my own love for football whilst keeping tomorrow night spare for the wife.

I've had an interesting day so far, went to a visit a friend who's recently opened an indoor football centre in Nottingham, it's not stopped bloody raining since the moment I got up and took the dog out, but tonight we guarantee game on, these 3g surfaces do come with assurances, I leave at 5pm down the M42 and get to the outskirts of Redditch in Worcestershire around 6:30.

The Venue

These West Midlands towns feel all the same to me, ugly ring roads which offer confusion even for Sat Nav to navigate through, a little town centre on a hill which in actual fact, when eventually found, is quite quaint, I'm finally through all the complexities onto the Bromsgrove Road and pulling into the football ground where it's £3 to park.

Drizzle is still in the air over dark skies, it's cold and miserable as the tannoy plays music in the background, I'm through the turnstiles into what feels like a modern middle surrounded by nostalgic stands to the sides, the Main Stand red and white painted is sharp edged and very nineties/noughties looking, opposite a covered terrace on a bank, the same behind the goal to the top of the pitch, it's very odd around here that you can't really stand close to the perimeter, so everything feels set back, far away, it's not great for being up close and personal with the players, lacking that smell of deep heat and seeing spit fully fly from mouth to floor, which is usually a major attraction in the non league game.

I'm early and hungry so find the catering window beside the main stand and ask if they have any pies. "We've got a cottage pie" I'm told. Quite taken back, not really expecting that answer, I say "yes, why not" and in return for £8 contactless with a cup of tea, am handed a silver tray, the kind you would get your egg fried rice in from the local Chinese, I park myself down and tuck in, to what is pleasantly surprising a good cottage pie.

There's a few locals sat around me on the back row of the lower tier of this weird stand, an old guy tells me of the time the club almost merged with Worcester City, and of the benefits that the new 3g surface in front provides the club and community, "It's full of kids playing on here every Saturday morning" he tells me, but my own 3g isn't working with all these people near by, so I move from the seated stand to the opposite end where I park myself behind the dugouts with full phone reception for kick off.

The Game

I feel unsettled, I sat in this stand last time and it was full of people chatting and laughing around me. It's quite strange, it has one row of seats elevated, but behind that, and in front, you can stand, plus it's set back, with the dugouts in view, you get an obstruction in front of the pitch, not able to see the full playing surface.

As the game starts, droves of kids walk in together and collate themselves in the corner, singing songs like "we hate Barwell" and "Barwell's a shit hole". I wonder if some of them can even point to the small Leicestershire town on a map?

It's a frantic start and the home side are good, you can see Barwell are playing without any confidence as mistakes too often happen, the left back finds touch more times than a team-mate and the goalkeeper's kicking is atrocious.

After a couple of early sniffs for the home side, Redditch go down the left with the lively Danny King, he crosses in to Aaron Bishop who they just announced has signed from Stourbridge today, the striker nets a debut goal from close range.

That sets off some pyro below, the young kids in the corner have been singing non stop, everybody around me has been chatting, not really watching the game, but suddenly supporters are going wild with that goal. They feel like a different breed from what I'm used to at the level, more people move across into my eyeline as they try and get away from the smoke.

Within minutes it's two. A goal mouth scramble from a Liam Loughlan free kick is eventually prodded home by the reliable number nine Alex Cameron, then Barwell's door is well and truly blown off, when goalkeeper Finn Osborn kicks fresh air, Bishop walks into the empty net for his second and third for United.

Jimmy Ginnelly's side have really gone here, and I'm going too, people now standing in front of my seat, I can't see a thing. Concentration on what's happening on the pitch difficult because I'm now too anxious what's going off around me.

I can't get a signal in the Main Stand, I can't get a view in the stand opposite, so I move to position number three and try standing behind the goal, elevated, there's plenty of space without cover as the rain eases off, but I'm bloody miles away, I spend twenty minutes moving back and fourth, not really watching any action, before finally finding a seat on the front row, where I didn't want to sit initially, because of the rain.

The Score

As half time approaches Redditch are still in full flow, Danny King has now rounded the keeper but refuses to shoot, Barwell break with their energetic forward Zayn Hakeem, he loves a step over and does a few before pulling back to Dan Jarvis who curls home a belter from the edge of the box.

Jarvis is a player I really rated from Peterborough Sports in the league above. I'm not entirely sure what he's doing at this level, but it seems his talent is wasted at a struggling Barwell, an attacking midfielder who always seems to come up with neatly taken goals.

At half time I move again, to the quieter side of the Main Stand right of the players tunnel, where I alas, find peace, next to the commentary team, tonight's game aired on subscription streamer Clubber TV for a pay per view price of £7.99.

Still not a perfect pitch with a little rain to fend off, I'm at least happier as the game continues with Redditch still forceful, but Barwell who have made a couple of changes, do break well on occasion, you feel a goal for them will make things interesting, but the games best player, Liam Loughlan finds space, he hits low left footed, a goal which should finish things off.

Redditch however soon switch off themselves, Barwell instantly go up the other end and a cross is turned into his own net by Morgan Owen, game back on you feel, but as they wrestle back some serious momentum, Jeavin Seaton starts wrestling with an opponent off the ball, he's sent off and Barwell's night goes from bad, to worse.

Within seconds of Seaton walking down the tunnel a left wing cross is headed home by Bishop for his hat-trick goal, it crowns off his perfect debut, a 5-2 win that in the end could have been double figures, no thanks to some horrendous some unforced errors and some pretty poor finishing, it wouldn't have been a shock had Redditch scored ten.

The Stars

Despite Bishop's hat-trick the left-footed Liam Loughlan is Redditch United's stand performer for me, he reminds me a bit of James Maddison, white boots, slick hair, wearing number ten he glides around the final third looking to make things happen with sparkle and substance, he's pivotal in how Redditch play, apparently he recently turned down a move to Hereford, to stay at the Valley?

Other impressive performers included Danny King on the left wing, I have been impressed with him before, and he's tall and direct, always looking to go on the outside, whilst the new striker Bishop, proven at the level, certainly did what Redditch are paying him to do.

Defensively I was less impressed on the night but they do have a good young goalkeeper in Tyrese Warmington, on loan from Birmingham City, and a good centre half in Morgan Owen, who despite his own goal, is no-nonsense and solid.

Barwell not so great, confidence lacking throughout their team, one of their best players Ethan Hill going off as early as the eighth minute with injury, perhaps he didn't fancy it?

Zayne Hakeem tried hard up front, Prince Mancinelli in midfield feels like a better player than his performance suggested, Dan Jarvis however I feel is too good to be wasted in this team, easily he should be scoring goals regularly at the level above.

The Verdict

The win takes Redditch to fourth in the table and you feel the club has the ambition, and fanbase, to have a good craic at getting up into the next level. Whilst Barwell are just four points above the drop zone, having played more than those below, I'm really not liking the way they look right now.

I don't know if I like Redditch or not? A horrible drive, the town is pretty internally, but externally horrid, the Valley Stadium pretty externally, but internally it lacks viewing vantage, I hated the first half, but quite enjoyed the second half, the club play some good football, I suspect if I come again, I'll just have to find the right seat.

The Teams

Redditch United: Tyrese Warmington, Joel Shambrook, Morgan Owen, Luke Ward (Dexter Dudley-Toole 87), Finn Howell, Robbie Bunn (Matt Warburton 62), Aram Soleman, Aaron Bishop (Bobby Fielding 84), Liam Loughlan, Danny King (Jack Loughran 70), Alex Cameron (Tyler Bruck 85).

Barwell: Finn Osborn (Liam Castle 46), Malaki Reeve (Jeavin Seaton 46), Jiah Medrano (Harrison Iwunze 77), Freddie Cook, Prince Mancinelli, Ethan Hill (Saikou Brown 8), Dan Jarvis, Harry Hawkins, Zayn Hakeem, Ryan Hayes (Tyree Wilson 46), Sonny Singh.

7:45pm Kick Off. Friday 13th February 2026, The Valley Stadium, Redditch (att 386).