Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

The Pegasus captain wins a first-half header against Josh Burns as Ben Febery is shown to the left, with Ledbury man of the match that night Dwayne Tyndale also being visible in the background to the right (📸: Chris Ponter)

Ledbury Town sent a strong message to the Herefordshire FA County League Premier Division in terms of an intended return to the second spot in the league table this week, achieving a convincing 3-1 win against current second place holders Hereford Pegasus Reserves during a chilly Friday evening fixture at Old School Lane.

It was the second occasion in which Ian Merrick’s men had overcome the Pegasus second string this season, following a great 3-2 comeback after going two goals down after an hour of play at New Street back in mid-November when an own goal from the Reserves scored in front of Sam Branch was followed in the space of four minutes by Alistair Holder flicking in a Scott Roberts free kick, with Roberts himself converting a penalty after Tom Boyle was brought down in the box.

The latest meeting between these two upper table rivals saw Boyle add another hat-trick to his impressive goal tally this season following a brace and a further hat-trick scored against Ewyas Harold and Clee Hill United respectively at New Street since the start of the year, even if the hosts provided a brief scare in denying the clean sheet through a 66th minute effort out of the blue.

This fixture under the floodlights on Pegasus’ artificial turf began with a foul from Ben Febery, giving the Reserves a third minute free kick which was struck wide of the near post, before a great opening save from trusty Ledbury goalkeeper James Loader deflected the ball off for a corner which was put just shy of the far post by a home forward.

A well-taken free kick from Febery then skimmed off the head of Boyle in the box to get the black and white shirts off the mark before ten minutes had elapsed, before a great ball from Town’s almost-accidental opening goalscorer flew narrowly past the outstretched foot of Febery in the box in an attempt to repay the favour.

Loader then made a solid stop at the far post as both Nathan Ince and Boyle were denied by a busy Pegasus keeper back across field, with a great run from Josh Burns down the near wing being halted at the far post by three pursuing defenders.

A second foul from the visitors, this time committed by Ince just outside the box, lead to a Reserves striker knocking the ball well wide on a run across from the opposite wing, before further safe hands from Loader to deny a home equalizer were followed by Febery launching in with a solid if physical challenge against the opposing captain to force a throw-in to the Pegasus skipper.

The half-hour mark saw a moment of peril occur for Ledbury when Loader only just managed to prevent the ball from sneaking over the line, before the confidence of the good crowd of away supporters was restored when Boyle fired the ball home to complete his brace, following some good Town play in and around the box which was successful in breaking down the Pegasus defence.

Febery was judged to have committed a further foul by referee for the evening Adrian Rocke, with Ince requiring a bout of spray treatment on the field from Merrick after coming down in midfield before Boyle gained a prime chance at a first period hat-trick, as a scramble for the ball in the box involving the Reserves goaltender resulted in the ball somehow being cleared away.

A long-range effort from the same seasoned visiting striker ended up towards the far corner flag, before the 40th minute saw some solid sustained defensive work from Ledbury captain Tom Trigg, jockeying an incoming striker from the far side of the box to force the ball to be struck over the touchline for a Loader goal kick.

Burns then made another great run back across field, firing the ball to rattle the far post as the home keeper was then forced to leave his line in order to knock the ball away from a rapidly-advancing Febery with a Pegasus defender in hot pursuit, as the deflection landed for Ince on the far wing even if he couldn’t quite take advantage of the opposing goaltender being off his line, as his thirty-yard effort instead flew wide of the target.

The latter half began with a bang as Febery and his Reserves counterpart were involved in a 50/50 aerial challenge a few yards from the away dugout, before Ince came off the worse during an attempted tackle against a home defender on the far wing, requiring further first aid from Merrick as Rocke nevertheless gave the decision Pegasus’ way despite Ince appearing to have gained the ball.

Loader, whom Town owed a fair deal to in terms of keeping the Reserves’ scoreline at bay that evening, then pulled off a further superb save in order to send the ball flying across the front of goal before his defence managed to clear the threat away, with a 55th minute ball then landing for Boyle in the box only to bounce too far off his foot as it ended up with the home goaltender.

Both sides then made first substitutions of the evening, with Lee Marlow coming on for Pegasus as Curt Williams replaced Morgan Skidmore, before Burns was flagged offside by assistant referee Mark Ammonds after receiving a good ball on the far wing.

The visiting defence continued to hold strong, with hardworking Ledbury man of the match that night Dwayne Tyndale nodding the ball safely clear while next to Loader on the line, shortly before the Town keeper himself stopped a second aerial effort from the Reserves as Trigg made another superb challenge in the box.

Ammonds then flagged Ince offside after Boyle fed the ball down the near wing, before a 65th minute effort from the former of the visiting strikers was met with a good save from the home goaltender.

A later cross from Ince saw Febery end up on the floor after just missing the connection at the far post, before the complexion of the game was changed completely when a ball from the opposition came out of nowhere towards the edge of the box to halve their goal deficit.

Boyle took one touch too many in the box as a further effort went wide of the near post, even if it only took another seven minutes for the prolific Ledbury striker to complete his second treble in four games.

Pegasus swiftly reminded Town that they couldn’t afford to rest on their laurels however having restored their double goal advantage, nodding a corner ball off the woodwork in amongst the swarm of players from both sides in the box back downfield, before James Kenny entered the fray for Asten Griffiths for the final ten minutes with David Solway coming on for the Reserves.

The hosts continued to threaten as one of their strikers performed an impromptu yet worthwhile 25-yard effort over the crossbar just after Rocke dodged the ball, before being flagged offside by Geoff Banham running the far sideline as a cross from one of their forwards was put over the frame right in front of Loader.

Harry Waybourne came on as Pegasus’ final substitute player with five minutes left on the clock, followed by both Tom Skittery and Samuel Palmer-Young making late appearances for Ince and Burns respectively, before a thirty-yard effort from the Reserves struck from towards the far wing provided Loader with a relatively comfortable save.

Trigg was given a helping hand from Tyndale to overcome a spot of cramp in the increasingly cold late evening conditions after performing one final solid defensive challenge, as his squad cleared away one final stoppage time assault to seal an important latter half of the season victory.

Despite being defeated by Ledbury during both league meetings this season, Pegasus will have one additional chance to exact revenge on Merrick’s men before the current season is out, as both sides look set to clash once again in the final of the latest Herefordshire FA Charity Bowl cup competition to be played at Old School Lane on a date still to be announced.

Town, who took the silverware back in April 2019 after defeating Holme Lacy with a memorable 3-2 win at Westfields’ allpay.park ground when an 81st minute winner from substitute player Charlie Docherty netted the title, made it to the end stage of this season’s contest following a shock 5-3 win on penalties against runaway Herefordshire League Premier Division leaders Hartpury University, after goals from Burns and King Baidoo left the scoreline hanging at a goal apiece after ninety minutes of play at New Street.

The Reserves booked their place in the final with a 3-2 semi-final victory away at current league seventh place holders Welland on the same day as the dramatic penalty shootout at New Street, with Carl Horton, Jordan Williamson and substitute player Harvey Evans bagging the goals for the visitors.

Ledbury’s latest league win, made even more significant with current league third place holders Hereford Lads Club Reserves being overcome 5-1 at the County Ground by mid-table Clee Hill United the day afterwards, puts them a single point behind both of the city-based sides, crucially retaining two games in hand over Lads Club and three over Pegasus as a fortnight’s break sees them next entertain lowly Holme Lacy at New Street on Saturday 12th March (KO 2:30pm).

Town then visit Welland at the Upton Hill Community Centre the weekend afterwards, before another re-arranged fixture away at basement boys Shobdon, after the original date on the very first day of the current season was cancelled on account of no referee being available and the first re-scheduled date last weekend being postponed owing to the numerous waterlogged pitches created by Storm Eunice, looks set to take place on Saturday 26th March (both games also KO 2:30pm).

Merrick’s squad will be looking for better luck against Holme Lacy after a highly-frustrating goalless draw occurred away in mid-October, three days after thumping defending Herefordshire FA County Challenge Cup holders Lads Club firsts 6-0 at New Street in the opening round of this season’s competition, when goals from Roberts and Ince accompanied braces scored by Boyle and Burns.

Ledbury will then be looking to merely add to the 8-0 demolition of Welland at New Street during the second league game of the season back in mid-September, when a further brace from Boyle, along with goals from Ben Miller, Burns, Febery, Ince and substitute players Charlie Docherty and Williams contributed to the biggest Town victory since their 11-2 home hammering of none other than Pegasus’ reserves side back in November 2017, and the most sizeable win since the 9-1 thrashing of Walsall-based Red Star Alma at New Street back when Ledbury were in Division One of the West Midlands Regional League in February 2013 if the Pegasus fixture is to be discounted due to them pulling out of the Herefordshire League later that season.

Town are yet to lock horns with Shobdon in league play this season due to the aforementioned postponements, but have already recorded a stunning 11-2 thrashing of the bottom table holders during a bitterly cold Charity Bowl cup quarter-final fixture at their aerodrome venue back in late November, when Miller struck four, twenty-year-old George Walker found his first hat-trick at senior level football with the aid of two penalties, and James Febery, Trigg, Roberts and Branch all added to their side’s illustrious scoresheet on the day.