Redditch Mens Firsts title aspirations took another blow on Saturday after a 6-3 defeat at home to mid-table Market Drayton.
The Reds remain second in the league and still in the promotion places five points above third placed Droitwich but are now three points behind red-hot league leaders Streetly.
Having lost heavily to Streetly before the Christmas break, Redditch were looking to kick-start their faltering campaign, but instead were left stunned as three Market Drayton goals inside the opening seven minutes set the tone for the match.
The visitors were ahead with barely a minute on the clock, and doubled their lead in the fourth after a one-on-one with Redditch keeper Scott Paul.
And when Market Drayton pushed forward to score again in the seventh minute the game seemed as good as lost already.
But that was as good as it got for the visitors in the first half, as Redditch fought back to dominate the remainder of the first 35.
The first goal came in the 15th minute with captain Andy Brooks firing home from a penalty corner.
A second very nearly came a minute later, Antony Brookes seeing a shot saved by the visiting goalkeeper.
A minute later and Redditch put together the best move of the game, Brooks passing to Paul Markham who delivered an inch-perfect cross to Steve Cook in the D, only to shoot wide.
Brookes by now was in the thick of the action and saw another two shots thwarted in the next five minutes.
Back up the other end and Redditch had keeper Paul to thank after first charging down an attacker before saving a shot from a sideline ball.
Redditch were still threatening and very nearly pulled another one back in the 28th minute after a penalty corner-Brooks’ shot almost deflected in by a diving Richard Sellors, and Brookes shooting wide from the rebound.
A minute later though and the home side got the goal their play deserved, Brookes finally hitting home after a decent cross from Dave Smith.
Redditch began the second half strongly as well and had a succession of penalty corners that on another day would have hit the backboard, only this time to be stopped by the visitors on form goalkeeper.
But just when a leveller seemed certain, Market Drayton swiftly counter attacked in the 45th minute to score once more.
From there a Redditch fight back was always going to be difficult, keeper Paul under building pressure, and on several occasions on hand to keep the home side in the game.
Despite all his efforts, Paul was beaten again in the 53rd minute after another Market Drayton counter attack.
It was game over three minutes later when a powerful sideline hit made its way straight into the Redditch D with a visiting attacker on hand to poke in to give the visitors a 6-2 lead.
Jason Ellis-Woodley restored some hope for Redditch with ten minutes remaining, but it was a hopeless cause and The Kingfishers will now have to rebuild again to prevent a still strong promotion push from falling apart completely.
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