Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

PHOTO: Jim Febery scored two superb headed goals for Ledbury.

Ledbury Town withstood a late resurgence from Clee Hill United to secure a 4-3 victory on the opening day of the Herefordshire Football League season.

Two superb headed goals from James Febery and a stunning half-volley from Tom Boyle gave Town a 3-0 half time lead, and Lewis Williams added a fourth for Ledbury just after the break. It looked like Town would to go onto a big victory but complacency descended and Clee scored three goals in the final 15 minutes. Only a string of fine saves from Alex Goode denied Clee from making this a tougher afternoon for Ledbury.

The crowd of 110 watched a nervy opening 20 minutes, and Town’s start was hampered with Dwayne Tyndale and captain Joel Skyers both leaving the field with injuries. The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute as Febery rose to meet Tom Boyle’s corner with a powerful header to give Ledbury the lead.

Clee battled back but Ledbury scored two goals just before half time. Cosmin Micula gained possession on the left and swung an excellent cross into the area for Febery to score his second goal with a stooping header. Clee almost pulled a goal back in injury time, but Goode made a tremendous save before immediately kicking long over the top of the Clee defence. Clee didn’t deal with the bouncing ball, but Tom Boyle did and lashed the ball into the goal.

Ledbury scored again three minutes into the second half. New signing Craig Howell picked the ball up 25 yards from goal. He found Williams on the right of the box and his shot went across the Clee keeper into the left corner of the net to make it 4-0.

The match settled into a low-quality stalemate, with Ledbury playing like they couldn’t lose, and Clee playing like they couldn’t win. But with quarter of an hour left, Clee gave themselves hope. A ball in behind the Ledbury defence saw their striker through on goal once more and this time he poked the ball past Goode into the Ledbury net.

Minutes later, Clee created another chance which was a carbon copy of their goal but Goode made yet another save. With goalscoring centre back Febery off the pitch with a knock, Clee put Ledbury under late pressure. In the 84th minute, they narrowed the gap further from a freekick into the box where Ledbury’s marking went missing for a close-range finish, and scored a third goal deep in injury time, but Town stood firm and took the points.