THE Blues gained a first away league win of the campaign at Redditch United as they moved up three places into 16th in the league table on a sunny, calm afternoon in Worcestershire at the weekend.

Two Jamar Loza goals, taking the Blues player to 10 for the season in all competitions, helped secure the win.

Kyran Clements and Ryan Jarvis came back into the starting XI, at the expense of Oliver Yun and Ismael Fatadjo, while Ben Batho dropped out of the 16. Blues captain Seb Dunbar is still out as the defender is struggling with back spasms.

Redditch forced a corner in the first 90 seconds of the match and the ball was only cleared to George Atwell but the midfielder shot well wide of Billy Johnson’s left hand post.

Jaiden White then shot low from outside the box in the seventh minute but Johnson was down to collect. A minute later, and the hosts came at the Blues down their right side but Kyran Clements headed away a dangerous ball into the Blues box.

On ten minutes, Sam Fitzgerald put in a free kick that Alex Cameron flicked on and an attempt from six yards hit the Blues bar, with Redditch appeals that the ball had crossed the line waved away by the referees assistant.

Ryan Jarvis cleared away another corner for the Blues before Reuben Wyatt was booked for diving. The Blues then quickly broke upfield and Ben Fowkes’ effort was easily saved by Callum Smith in the Redditch goal.

In the 21st minute, the lively Fitzgerald shot just over for Redditch while Leiston changed their shape and Kyran Clements went up front. On 26 minutes, Max Ram nodded the ball just over Johnson’s goal.

George Quantrell had an effort blocked just after the half hour mark after a quick corner by Fraser Alexander. Jamar Loza then shot over the bar, with Quantrell and Ben Fowkes linking up well.

The Blues took the lead on 35 minutes. Fraser Alexander’s corner was punched away by Smith before Ryan Jarvis put the ball back into the box and Loza shot home into the roof of the net.

However, Redditch again came forward at the Blues and they levelled with five minutes of the half remaining. Reuben Wyatt found space just outside the Blues penalty area and curled the ball home into Johnson’s top right-hand corner to restore parity.

With two minutes of normal time in the half to go, Quantrell put in Fowkes and the striker made Smith get down low to his left to keep the scores level. Just a minute into the second period, referee Sam Wesson stopped the game as a Redditch supporter needed assistance.

After nearly ten minutes, the game restarted and the game struggled for a bit of fluency.

Another break in play came on the hour mark with a home player receiving treatment before on 66 minutes, Johnson came for a cross at the back post to gather. Two minutes later, Quantrell stroked just wide of Smith’s goal as the Blues had some good possession.

The Blues re-took the lead on 72 minutes. Fowkes went on a run down Redditch’s left and crossed from the by-line to Loza who made no mistake to bury the ball underneath Smith.

Ollie Saunders, making his 150th appearance for the club, and Ryan Jarvis won balls from a free kick, before Loza got back to clear. Wyatt shot just wide while White tested Johnson also just outside the box as time started to tick down with Redditch pressing.

The Blues 'keeper come to claim a free kick from Smith on 80 minutes and home sub Harry Leeson fired just over for Redditch two minutes later.

Fellow sub Billy Shaw tried his luck on 87 minutes as both teams tinkered with personal. Johnson again came to claim a cross in the 90th minute. With 13 minutes of added time to go, the Blues stood up well to see the game out. Loza went down under a challenge in the 94th minute but Wesson waved away appeals.

Eddie Jackson won a header in the 11th minute of stoppages and won a free kick for his efforts, before Loza won a free kick deep into the visitors' half two minutes later and there was hardly time to take it as referee Wesson blew his whistle to signal the end of the match.

FT: - Redditch United 1 Leiston 2

Leiston travel to Spalding United on Tuesday night, the game will see a first-ever meeting between the two clubs. Leiston have no game on Saturday.

Line-ups: -
Redditch United: - Smith, Cranston, Wyatt (sub Onabirekhanlen 78 mins), Cameron, Rowley, White, Ram (sub Leeson 78 mins), Atwal, Fitzgerald (sub Bruce 88 mins), Shaw, Burroughs. Subs not used: - Dreckett-Tappin, Martin.

Blues: - Johnson, Hill (sub Fatadjo 90+9 mins), Saunders (sub Yun 90+1 mins), Rossi Jarvis (sub Albie Armin 69 mins), Clements, Eddie Jackson, Ryan Jarvis (sub Manly 87 mins), Alexander, Fowkes (sub Curtis 81 mins), Quantrell, Loza.

Blues Man Of The Match: - Jamar Loza.
Attendance: - 680.