Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

Sam Branch nods clear a corner ball from the visitors on the half-hour mark shortly before an opposing striker put the ball well over the bar from 25 yards out on the rebound, with George Hackman and Morgan Skidmore also being pictured either side of Branch (📸: Chris Ponter)

Following back-to-back 2-1 defeats against current Herefordshire FA County League Division One second place holders Ross Juniors HCL and league leaders Fownhope over the last fortnight, Ledbury Town Reserves achieved an extremely useful reverse result at New Street this week in a second victory of the season over league basement boys the Civil Service.

In what was the first time David Butcher and Nick Blakeway’s squad had set foot on their usual home pitch since the 3-1 win against Hinton Reserves back in early November, when man of the match Tom Skittery found a brace, with Callum Blackmore-Davey finding a third as substitute player Marlon Ransome picked up the sole goal for the visitors, it took until the 23rd minute for the Ledbury second string to strike first blood on this occasion as Skittery added a further goal to his impressive tally this season.

The star reserves striker, who also found the net during his side’s previous meeting against the Civil Service at Victoria Park in Hereford, a volatile affair which saw home player Adam White booked and team-mate George Field receive a straight red card, was then instrumental in setting up a further 71st minute goal for Brad Potter, even if the black and white shirts were caught completely off-guard as their opponents lobbed keeper Zak Bonfield seconds from the restart.

A game which otherwise saw the home goaltender needing to do little work, even if his side missed several opportunities to further improve upon their goal difference particularly shooting downhill over the second period, began with a fairly slow opening quarter-hour of play, characterized by a number of controversial offside decisions, most notably against twenty-year-old first team forward George Walker as a Civil Service flag was raised upfield.

Things picked up when a scramble for the ball in the visitors’ box saw Skittery take a tumble next to an opposing defender at the near post, as the corner ball from Walker was struck to sail over players from both sides in the box.

An opening effort from Jake Bramley, not seeming able to find the target that afternoon despite his best efforts, clipped over the crossbar after receiving a better second corner ball from Walker, before Ledbury captain Jai Smallwood, continuing to bear the armband after a popped hamstring suffered during the 2-1 victory away at Bartestree four weeks ago led to usual skipper Nick Bolton taking up management of the third Swifts side with team-mate Charlie Jones, maintained pressure on a Civil Service forward racing down the far wing on the 20th minute, with Alistair Holder being on hand to scuff the cross away in the box, clipping the boot of the intended recipient in the process.

An initial strike from Skittery saw the ball bounce off the near post, even if it didn’t take long for him to atone with a beautiful volley squarely into the back of the net, before a free kick from Bramley was struck against the visiting defence as first teamer Morgan Skidmore mis-struck the ball well wide of the target on the rebound from towards the near wing.

Sam Branch then leapt out to decisively nod a corner ball away on the half-hour mark, with an opposing striker firing the ball well over the crossbar from 25 yards out on the follow-up as a superb cross from Walker back upfield on the far wing met Bramley in the box back upfield, with the volley from the determined striker forcing the Civil Service keeper to have to leap up in order to palm the ball over the woodwork.

The resulting corner ball from home man of the match that day Curt Williams, also bolstering the reserves’ ranks on the day owing to Ledbury’s first team having a week’s grace this weekend to recover after their memorable 5-3 win on penalties in the semi-finals of this season’s Herefordshire FA Charity Bowl cup competition against then-unbeaten Herefordshire FA County League Premier Division title favourites Hartpury University, was struck against the side netting, before a brace for Skittery went begging when he curled the ball narrowly wide of the far post.

Skidmore was then fouled a few yards out from the corner of the box back downfield, before Skittery was denied a further chance at a double via a good challenge from a visiting defender, leaving the ball for Bramley who struck it well wide of the target.

With Kieran Loveridge coming on for Branch over the interval, the opposing keeper was kept busy going into the second period, being forced to save a further effort from Skittery at close range as Walker ran in to sneak the ball wide of the near post, and after Bramley left the action for Branch to return at sixty minutes in with Potter replacing George Hackman, Potter himself received a swift Civil Service greeting in being brought down by a fair challenge towards the near wing.

Smallwood then volleyed the ball well wide and over the frame, with Potter managing to cross the ball in to see the visiting keeper deny Branch at the near post, with the opposing defence continuing to hold firm as a Williams free kick was nodded clear of both Branch and Loveridge in the box.

Potter finished Skittery’s superb ball from the far wing to score what would turn out to be a crucial goal in keeping the three points in the possession of the hosts, before a moment of complacency saw an opportunistic Civil Service outfit race away upfield and put the ball straight over the head of Bonfield to deny a Ledbury clean sheet within moments of the ball being returned to the centre-spot.

With the visitors unexpectedly bringing themselves back in contention with less than twenty minutes to go, the urgency to restore the two-goal buffer didn’t translate into additional marks on the scoresheet for the reserves as three consecutive corner balls were squandered, before the ball then fell neatly for Skittery in the box, even if the goal-hungry home target man was able to connect with the finish, losing his footing while under pressure from the pair of defenders either side of him.

Skidmore’s late free kick from towards the far sideline was then deflected by a member of the opposing back-line as a further Civil Service defender successfully jockeyed Potter down the opposite wing, but as Bramley came back on to replace an injured Holder for the final three minutes, the visitors just couldn’t capitalize on their earlier sudden lifeline to see the reserves being handed the points come referee Simon Burgess’ final whistle.

Butcher was more than satisfied with his side’s win after the unlucky results of the previous fortnight against the league’s top two teams, commenting:

“It was good to get back to winning ways after the last two results. It was a game of two halves though, and we really should have been out of sight in the first half after hitting the woodwork three times.”

“There were numerous further missed chances in the second half, and we did let them come back at us, being caught short with a lack of concentration to allow them to score straight after our second goal was scored.”

“Other than that, we dominated the game throughout, especially in midfield. It was nice to get the win at home, and hopefully we will carry that on into our next two fixtures, which are also taking place at home.”

This latest win keeps the Ledbury second string at a steady eighth place in the table, with their next two New Street fixtures being set to take place against Tenbury Town this coming weekend, who lie only a single point above Butcher and Blakeway’s squad, before the following week sees them entertain Bartestree in a second meeting of the season (both games KO 2:00pm).

Tenbury and the reserves are yet to lock horns this season, while Bartestree will be looking for a better result against Ledbury this time around after first half goals from Walker and Branch, together with a critical second half save from Bonfield, secured the win for the reserves in their first game of the new year at Bartestree’s ground, even if Harry Gwynne later deprived the visitors of a clean sheet.