HIGHGATE United booked their place in the next round of the Birmingham FA Senior Cup with a 1-0 victory over higher-ranked Redditch United.
It was not a happy reunion for former Gate boss Paul Smith, now in charge of the Reds, but there can be no complaints as it turned out to be a comfortable Gate victory.
Aaron Brown scored the only goal of the game five minutes from time with a powerful header from a McCauley Manning corner.
Victory over the Reds followed last Saturday’s 3-2 defeat of Worcester City in the Midlands Premier.
There was just one change for Gate which saw the return of Trevor Edwards taking the place of the suspended Richard Bryan, with former Solihull Moors player Romario Martin making a surprise return to the Coppice Ground for a place on the bench.
A goalless first half with neither keeper seriously tested had seen Gate’s Aaron Brown and Lei Brown miss a number of chances which should have put the hosts ahead.
All five goals came during the second half of a match which never reached any great heights.
City had taken a 57th-minute lead when former Highgate player Luke English made the most of a mistake for a mishit volley to fly in over Brad Catlow’s head.
However, Gate responded straight from the restart through Lei Brown’s gentle lob.
Substitute Martin put Gate ahead in 70th minute with a fine solo goal, with his pace and an astute finish leaving custodian Dan Jezeph stranded in no man’s land before Marco Adaggio hit an unstoppable third past the helpless keeper from 30 yards.
English completed a brace late on to reduce the arrears and set up a nervous finish, with Gate holding out to clinch the three points.
Gate play host to South Normanton Athletic on Saturday before welcoming Coventry United to The Coppice on Wednesday night.
