Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

Photo: George Walker in pursuit as team-mate Nathan Ince looks on against Ludlow Town Colts. (📷:Chris Ponter)

Following the disappointment of their cancelled 2021/22 Herefordshire FA County League Premier Division opening fixture away at Shobdon last weekend, Ledbury Town’s new season began with a bang this weekend with a ten-goal thriller, as Ian Merrick’s new-look senior squad drew 5-5 with Ludlow Town Colts in front of a seventy-strong crowd at New Street.

Man of the match for Ledbury that afternoon Tom Boyle began his return season with the black and white shirts in terrific style with a hat-trick, with former Westfields striker Ben Miller putting away a penalty for the hosts shortly into the second period of play as team-mate Josh Burns also made it on to the scoresheet on the 70th minute.

Ledbury’s opening encounter in a local league now enjoying the prestige of Step 7 status in the national football system wasn’t without controversy however, as both Miller and Ludlow counterpart Corey Whitticase picked up yellow cards from referee for the day Mark Ammonds, with Burns paying a visit to the sin bin before the first period was up as the Colts’ goals came courtesy of a brace from Jabez Smith as Josh Williams, Whitticase and Aaron Hodge also found the target for the Shropshire-based outfit.

Early corner ball opportunities for the hosts ended when Dwayne Tyndale nodded the second set-piece delivered by Miller over the bar as a first thunderbolt from Boyle struck the near post and came off the keeper, before a stunning 11th minute free kick from the prolific striker on the far wing announced his return to New Street in emphatic style as it found the back of the net.

A very-much-unlucky thirteenth minute of play followed for Ledbury when Burns was brought down in the box with nothing being given by Ammonds much to the dismay of the sizeable home crowd, before a free kick taken by Curt Williams landed just shy of the far post on the touchline too late for Tyndale to reach it in time.

The half-hour mark saw Boyle break through to scuff the ball into the woodwork as the eventual Ledbury hat-trick scorer that day went on to put a free kick from Miller narrowly wide of the target, before the home side’s failure to extend their lead was punished when goaltender Joshua Worrell just about managed to claw an effort away upfield only for Smith to finish the job to draw his side level.

Boyle made a good turn while under pressure from a defender just outside the box to see another shot saved, with Ledbury’s problems being compounded for the final eight minutes of the first half of play when they were forced to play up to the interval with only ten men when Burns was ordered to the dugout for arguing with Ammonds over a contentious handball decision.

The fortunes of Merrick’s men changed shortly into the second period however when Nathan Ince was felled in the box up at the far end to see the official this time award the penalty which was confidently slotted home by Miller, before the former allpay.park player continued to impress in providing a fine assisting cross which was finished by Boyle to put the hosts back in the driving seat.

The two-goal advantage was short-lived however when Worrell collided with and brought down a visiting attacker in the box, and despite calls to the contrary from the home crowd, Ammonds was adamant that the challenge had been performed in a similar manner to that which had brought Ince down, leaving the referee with little choice but to award a second penalty which Smith converted to complete his double.

Following a solid header from Curt Williams, playing in a more defensive position on this occasion as opposed to his usual upfront position seen over recent seasons which dealt with an opposing cross, a much faster-moving and considerably more changeable second period provided another surprise on the 58th minute when Ludlow equalized once again from the far wing with an impromptu Josh Williams lob into the net which caught Worrell off his line.

Merrick made some first substitutions of the game after this setback in bringing Ince and new signing this season Dale Taylor off for Sam Branch and Lewis Williams, with Ledbury continuing to miss chances as a free kick resulting from Whitticase’s yellow card offence just missed the head of Boyle in the box, before the visitors took the lead for the first time that afternoon through Whitticase on the 63rd minute.

It was only through pressure from home captain Matt Rooke in hot pursuit of an opposing striker which forced the Ludlow player to put the ball wide shortly after the Colts’ fourth goal was scored, as Branch, doing just as good a job in defence as opposed to his usual shifts upfront over the last few seasons for both Ledbury’s reserves and now first team, knocked away a further free kick with 25 minutes to go.

Merrick’s senior squad then put themselves back in contention for the three points with two goals scored in the space of three minutes as an opportunistic Burns raced in to fire home the rebound after Boyle was foiled by both the visiting keeper and one of his defenders just short of the goalmouth, before some superb defensive work from Lewis Williams allowed the star home player to capitalize upfield and round off his treble.

A great 76th minute run from Burns was eventually ended via a successful challenge from an opposing defender in the box, before an ill-advised barge from Miller to stop a similar attacking run downfield from Ludlow resulted in the second and final yellow card of the affair.

Branch was again on hand to nod the resulting free kick away over the touchline as the ensuing corner ball was blocked on the follow-up by Lewis Williams, with the second Colts’ set-piece seeing Tom Trigg jockey the receiving forward on the far wing as the shot which was still produced by the visiting striker bounced off the crossbar.

Charlie Docherty, Chris Wickham and Ince replaced Burns, Curt Williams and George Walker respectively for the final ten minutes, before Hodges’ goal proved pivotal in providing his side with at least a point from the affair as a potential 85th minute goal from Tyndale on the follow-up from a Miller free kick was disallowed by Ammonds on the grounds of alleged pushing from Ledbury personnel in the box.

A final spot kick from Miller provided the opposing keeper with a relatively easy save on the ground as Worrell blocked and then seized a threatening cross-shot from back downfield, before a last-ditch cross from Boyle to reclaim the win saw Docherty and Ince not being able to push forward in time to meet it in the box.

A highly unpredictable and entertaining second period, full of twists and turns to entertain the crowd at New Street that day ended with both teams settling for honours even to get them off the mark in the league table, much to the relief of Ludlow in particular who were still reeling from a 10-0 demolition incurred at the hands of newcomers to the league Hartpury University Men’s FC at home last weekend.