Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

An opposing attacker goes in for a physical sliding challenge against Nick Bolton which temporarily brought the home captain down upfield on the 18th minute (📸: Chris Ponter)

Following a goalless league home draw against Kington Town Reserves at New Street, in-between being largely involved in Herefordshire FA Junior Cup action until a 2-1 semi-final exit at the hands of Wellington Colts at New Street last weekend, Ledbury Town Reserves resumed their Herefordshire Football League Division One campaign this week with only their second league fixture of 2023 in disappointing fashion, losing out 5-2 at their historic ground to lowly Holme Lacy Reserves.

David Butcher and Harry Powell’s side were a goal down just minutes after referee Ben Bowen had blown the starting whistle of their first encounter of the season against the Holme Lacy second string, before the visitors added a second just before the half-hour mark.

A third mark on the opposition’s scoresheet was followed by man of the match for Ledbury for a second consecutive game Kieran Loveridge grabbing a goal back via a penalty, before two further goals for Holme Lacy during the latter half of play, with Nathan Taylor-Woodward having netted a hat-trick as team-mates Olly Kitching and Harry Willett also found the target that day, saw Callum Blackmore-Davey adding a second late consolation goal for the hosts.

The very early opener for the visitors saw a chance for the black and white shirts to equalize occur soon afterwards when Tom Skittery delivered the ball into the box to be struck by captain Nick Bolton as an opposing defender deflected it just wide of the far post for a corner, before the set-piece taken by Charlie Jones saw a subsequent corner ball from Bolton fail to provide a first goal for his side.

Butcher made his feelings over his squad’s slow and lackadaisical opening play clear from the dugout as a thirteenth-minute free kick from Asten Griffiths on the far sideline came off the head of a defender leaping up against Kane Bruton to see the Holme Lacy goalkeeper make the catch.

Bolton then managed to get the ball up to Bruton on the near wing only for a defender to charge in and clear the ball over the sideline, before a good pass from Jai Smallwood into the box saw Loveridge again beaten by another member of the visiting backline on the touchline.

Bolton came down briefly following a physical challenge from an opposing attacker upfield as a Holme Lacy free kick was struck past the two-man wall of Griffiths and Jones to provide new Ledbury keeper Leo Kelly, having gained a man of the match accolade for a spirited debut for the third Swifts team against mid-table Division Two outfit Dore Valley over at the Ledbury Rugby Football Club Ross Road ground last weekend, with a comfortable save at the near post.

A great 25th minute ball from seventeen-year-old Jake Clueit, having made two debut appearances for Town’s first team away to Ludlow Town Colts and Wellington Rangers in the Herefordshire League Premier Division since the start of the year, was struck from the far wing to be nodded clear from Skittery in the box by an obstinate Holme Lacy defence, before Kelly came well off his line back upfield to claim the ball towards the far wing.

The new home goaltender then saw an effort from the visitors being palmed off his own glove into the top left-hand corner of the net to double the opposition’s lead, before a venomous strike from Loveridge during a stronger period of attacking play from Ledbury soared narrowly wide of the far post.

The hosts were unlucky not to open their account two minutes later when Bruton rattled the far post while under pressure from the Holme Lacy backline after receiving a further good ball from Skittery on the near sideline, even if Loveridge was finally able to get the New Street second string off the mark through his successful spot kick, although not without the visitors having put an earlier third goal away.

Blackmore-Davey’s second goal was of scant consolation after his opponents that day had hit five, as Butcher summed up a lacklustre afternoon from his side:

“It was a very disappointing display for the full ninety minutes. From start to finish, we just weren’t at the races.”

“There were a number of wasteful chances from ourselves which could have probably changed the game. All credit to Holme Lacy however; they punished us for all of our mistakes.”

Dropping a place to seventh in the table although still seven points clear of Holme Lacy after Harry Gwynne bought Bartestree a 1-0 victory at home the same day over third-placed Shobdon, who themselves had booked a place in the final of the Junior Cup competition following a shock 5-4 win on penalties against league leaders Hereford Lads Club Reserves, after the final score stood at two goals apiece after extra time at the Herefordshire FA County Ground in the other semi-final played last weekend, the Ledbury second string continue to seek an opening league win of the year by taking on second place holders Hereford Pegasus Colts at New Street this coming Saturday (KO 2:00pm).

Butcher and Powell’s squad will kick off a new month on Wednesday 1st March by hosting Bartestree under the floodlights, before the good fortune of a sixth consecutive home fixture sees them face Ewyas Harold for a second time this season exactly a week later (both games KO 7:45pm).

The reserves recorded a close 2-2 draw against the Pegasus third string at Old School Lane in mid-October, in one of several early season games the black and white shirts really should have won.

An 88th minute equalizer from Brad Potter clinched the point for the visitors following an early second-half goal from Loveridge, with Alistair Holder picking up the man of the match accolade for Ledbury even if Sam Booth received the only booking of the game from referee Les Coultas, as the Pegasus goals came courtesy of Owen Bolton and Jake McQuilkin.

Butcher and Powell’s side will be hoping for a repeat or better of the 3-1 victory achieved over Bartestree away back in early December, when the hosts could only manage a single consolation goal courtesy of seasoned player Paul Kaye as Sam Branch found a brace with Bruton also on target, and will aim for a better performance against Ewyas Harold after a 2-1 defeat resulted at their ground back in early November, when goals from Matthew Norton and Luke Price outnumbered the sole goal for the visitors scored by substitute player Dave Preece.