Nine-men Racers battle to impressive victory

FOOTBALL

RACING Club Warwick warmed up for tomorrow night’s Birmingham Midweek Floodlit Cup quarter-final with a gutsy 2-1 Midland League Division One win at Coventry Copsewood, despite having two players sent off.

Josh O’Grady fired Warwick ahead on 13 minutes from Richard Powell’s pass but six minutes later they were down to ten men when Jamie Coleman was red-carded.

Powell got his reward to put the visitors 2-0 up from Trea Bertie’s assist eight minutes into the second period but George Whitelaw replied on 68 minutes for the Coventry side.

There was another twist when Martin Slevin picked up a second yellow card with nine minutes to play

The Racers head to West Midlands Premier side Tividale tomorrow, with the winners coincidentally facing a last-four clash at Copsewood.

Studley’s first match under new boss Vaughan Pearshouse ended with a merited 1-1 draw at in-form Hinckley AFC.

Pearshouse has taken over after Keith Draper decided to step down last week, though the Bees hope Draper, who led the club to the Midweek Floodlit Cup last term, will remain involved.

The Bees stunned Hinckley, playing their first home game for seven and a half weeks, when Billy Garvey gave them the lead with a header from a seventh-minute corner. Studley then limited the Knitters but the hosts levelled on the hour mark when Steve Hart collected a flick from a free-kick and slotted past keeper Ryan Young.

Studley will look to continue their Midweek Floodlit Cup defence tomorrow when they welcome Atherstone Town to the Beehive.

In Division Two, Earlswood Town went down to a 4-2 defeat at home to Hampton.