Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

Ben Miller looks to play the ball away from the near sideline back downfield with two opposing defenders in pursuit (📸: Chris Ponter)

Ledbury Town made it to a third Herefordshire FA Charity Bowl cup final in the space of four years this week, overcoming Herefordshire Football League Premier Division sixth place holders Clee Hill United with a comfortable 2-0 victory at a well-attended New Street.

In contrast to the epic 3-1 win on penalties against league arch rivals and last season’s Charity Bowl champions Hereford Pegasus Reserves in the first round of the contest at Old School Lane in mid-September, Ledbury’s semi-final triumph following a home walkover against Ludlow Town Colts in the quarter-finals back in late November was essentially decided at the end of the first period, as recent new signing Rares Micula found the net from an eighth minute corner ball before young Clee Hill defender Freddie Barnes put away an unfortunate own goal on the 40th minute.

Better play from the visitors downhill going into the latter half of the proceedings nevertheless saw them rarely trouble Town goalkeeper Alex Goode, as the hosts went on to book themselves a place in the final against Tenbury United.

A relentless opening attacking period from Ian Merrick’s men saw a strong opening effort from Boyle fly just wide of the near post, and, after referee Stephen Cook went over for a quick word with a vocal Ledbury dugout, a first attempt at goal from Ben Febery was palmed over the bar by opposing keeper Joe Whiteway.

Febery tried again, charging in with a powerful volley which sent the ball soaring narrowly wide of the near post, with Boyle’s second effort also sneaking just wide of the woodwork before Rares Micula took full advantage of Clee’s failure to clear the aforementioned corner ball and get his side off the mark.

A first real scare for Town occurred on the twelfth minute when the ball was struck underneath Tom Trigg to be saved by Goode on the ground, before Ben Miller leapt up against a visiting defender in the box back downfield to nod the ball on to the top netting.

Whiteway charged out to beat Lewis Williams to the ball in the box, before the Shropshire-based goaltender did well to deflect a Ben Miller strike, being positioned in just the right spot on the line to deny a close-range effort from Williams on the rebound.

A free kick from Boyle taken towards his own dugout was abruptly blocked by an opposing defender racing out across the sea of players along the edge of the box, with a second spot kick from the top home goalscorer being struck past the three Clee Hill players forming the wall to be caught by Whiteway.

Goode palmed an aerial ball clear back upfield, before assistant referee and BBC Midlands Today sports presenter Dan Pallett flagged Boyle offside as the top marksman attempted to volley an aerial ball from the far post, which nevertheless snuck narrowly wide of the top right-hand corner of the frame.

A free kick from Cosmin Micula, cousin of Ledbury’s only goalscorer that afternoon was eventually dealt with by the visiting defence, before Boyle was brought down in a painful-sounding challenge just outside the far edge of the box with no cards being produced by Cook, who ordered the prolific Town striker back to his dugout before re-entering the action.

The spot kick awarded to the hosts was struck by Cosmin Micula to meet a swarm of Clee Hill defenders in the box before being cleared, and, after Cook marched over to an aggrieved Town dugout for a second time, Barnes suffered a moment to forget in firing the ball into his own net while attempting to clear it away from Cosmin Micula.

One last effort from a goal-hungry Boyle travelled over the bar before the break, before Cosmin Micula was on defensive duties soon into the latter half of play, chesting the ball on the touchline before blasting it clear over the neighbouring cemetery wall.

After the black and white shirts put a shot across goal back upfield, a series of corner balls delivered by Miller culminated in Whiteway making a good impromptu save at the far post, before veteran striker Adam Bowen was brought on to add some experience upfront to a visiting outfit featuring a good number of young players making debuts that day.

A combination of Goode and Trigg managed to intercept an opposing forward pressuring in the box downfield, before a 63rd minute free kick from Boyle was struck to the right of another trio of defenders to be met with an impressive diving save from Whiteway at the far post.

A further foul against Boyle up at the far end this time resulted in Craig Breakwell receiving a first Clee Hill yellow card from Cook, before Bowen struck the ball over the bar while making a run into the near side of the box.

A further home free kick was struck by Febery to hit the wall as Boyle was extremely unlucky not to get himself on the scoresheet with a superb strike which saw the ball bounce down from the crossbar, not quite crossing the line as it was seized by Whiteway.

Williams was swapped for Nathan Ince in a late first Ledbury change of personnel with fifteen minutes left on the clock, before a moment of controversy saw Cook brush handball appeals from Rares Micula aside when his thirty-yard ball after racing across field appeared to strike the arm of the visiting defender in front of him.

The new Town signing himself was then booked for a foul in midfield, swiftly before the free kick was headed clear by Trigg, who shared the man of the match accolade for the hosts that day with fellow seasoned defender Tom Watkins.

Pete Jeynes and Morgan Skidmore entered the action for Matt Tristram and Josh Burns for the final five minutes, with the opposition taking the opportunity to replace an injured player of their own as they couldn’t manage even a consolation goal come the final whistle.

With Tenbury scoring a 4-0 win against league newcomers Coppertops FC at Palmers Meadow the same day to book their place against Ledbury, the stage is now set for an exciting Charity Bowl final to be held at the Herefordshire FA County Ground on Wednesday 10th May (KO 7:45pm).

Town last won the cup back in April 2019 with a memorable 3-2 victory over Holme Lacy at Westfields’ allpay.park venue, as goals from Joe Bullock and Samuel Palmer-Young saw Jean Alvarez and Jay Spencer level the score during the second period before Ledbury substitute player Charlie Docherty scored an 81st minute winner.

Merrick’s squad were undone with a 3-1 defeat in the previous final played against the Pegasus second string at the County Ground in May last year, when a Harvey Evans opener and Saul Thomas brace outnumbered the sole Town goal scored by youngster George Walker.

Back in the league, Ledbury will seek to further extend their reclaimed lead at the top of the table with a reverse fixture against Tenbury at New Street this coming weekend (KO 2:30pm), after overcoming their Charity Bowl final opponents with a 2-1 win at Palmers Meadow last Saturday when Boyle and Burns found the net either side of the interval.

United denied the visitors of a clean sheet through putting the ball past Ledbury Town Swifts joint manager Nick Blakeway, filling in for Goode in goal that day as Trigg again picked up the man of the match accolade for the visitors.

Two midweek games will then follow for Merrick’s high-flying squad under the floodlights at New Street against Gloucester City Under 21s on Wednesday 22nd March, and Wellington Rangers on Friday 31st March (both games KO 7:45pm).

A bizarre 2-2 draw occurred against the Under 21s at Meadow Park back in late October, who were bottom of the league at the time as goals from Town newcomer this season Ryan Pugh and Boyle set up what should have been a straightforward second half, only for Adam Milne to claim a goal back on the 60th minute before Matt Tristram netted an unfortunate own goal seven minutes later.

Ledbury’s first win of 2023 came against Wellington in early February following the 4-1 defeat away to fourth-placed Ludlow Town Colts at the start of the year and two cancelled home fixtures against Pegasus Reserves and Coppertops due to a frozen pitch at New Street and a home walkover respectively, as a 20th minute opener from Pugh at The Kensal Ground was followed by Jordan Mann equalizing before Febery scored a second-half brace, even if the win was a bittersweet one for Town when Pugh was forced off with a dislocated shoulder fifteen minutes into the second period.