DROITWICH Spa moved top of the table with a 2-1 victory against Longlevens AFC despite a red card for goalkeeper Dominic Hill.
Goals from James Lemon and Reiss Taylor-Randle put Spa in command at the break at the King George Playing Fields.
However, Bradley Martin halved the deficit for the visitors before Spa’s new goalkeeper signing Dominic Hill saw red just past the hour mark after he committed a foul in the box.
With no substitute goalkeeper on the bench, Alex Dugmore took the gloves only for Longlevens to miss the resulting penalty as Spa held on to secure a fourth straight win.
The result means Droitwich sit top of the Hellenic League Premier Division table on goal difference.
Andy Crowther’s side have played one game more the two teams immediately below them in the table.
The Saltmen took the lead on 10 minutes when Lemon guided Alex Dugmore’s flick-on into the bottom corner of the net.
And the home side doubled their lead on 24 minutes as Taylor-Randle pounced on a loose ball in the Longlevens penalty area to score his first goal for the club.
However, Longlevens reduced the deficit on 62 minutes when substitute Martin headed in following some pinball in the Droitwich box.
And Spa stopper Hill then received a straight red card moments later for a foul on Shiyak Sutherland in the penalty area after the latter took the ball around the Droitwich goalkeeper.
However, Cam Williams put the resulting penalty wide of the target as stand-in stopper Dugmore watched the ball travel past the post.
The visitors pushed for an equaliser but the Saltmen held firm to seal a hard-fought victory.
Droitwich are next in action against Slimbridge on Tuesday, August 19 with kick-off at 7.45pm at Kingy’s.
