Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

After a wait of over two months and nine games, Ledbury Town Swifts finally achieved their first victory of the season in Division Two of the Herefordshire Football League this week, overcoming Lickhill Colts FC Saturday with an emphatic 3-1 win away at Stourport.

After the disappointment of the Ledbury third string’s first encounter against the struggling league newcomers at the Ledbury Rugby Football Club Ross Road ground a month ago, when the Swifts’ worst performance of the season so far saw only a single consolation goal being scored by man of the match Jasper Wilce for a 4-1 defeat, the visitors put in a fine performance during the second meeting against their lower table rivals as Tom Goodwin found a brace, with Jamie Roberts also on target for the black and white shirts.

With Neil Davis and Nick Blakeway’s young squad having several players out through injuries on the day, reserves players Jai Smallwood and Nick Bolton were able to step in on account of the New Street second string having no fixture that day as the Swifts started off on the front foot, with the half-hour mark seeing Goodwin score his first of two through meeting a great cross from Jasper Wilce with a superb volley.

The visitors continued their good form into the second period, keeping Lickhill at an arm’s length as Roberts scored a second goal to ease the pressure, with Goodwin providing the icing on the cake through completing his double even if a late spot of poor Ledbury defending allowed the Colts to grab a consolation goal back on the 90th minute.

With Harry Millis taking the latest Swifts man of the match accolade, Davis was delighted with his young side’s first full three points of the season, even if the late lapse of concentration left a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth:

“After making the trip up to Stourport, I’m more than happy with the result which the lads achieved. I’m not as happy about conceding at the last minute, and we never really played the quality of football I know we are capable of usually playing, but it was a tricky pitch.”

“We got the points, and that’s the main thing.”

The win finally lifted the Ledbury third string off the foot of the league table for the first time this season, as new basement boys Lickhill were reduced to zero points following non-fulfilment of a fixture against high-flying fellow league newcomers and current third-place holders The Broadleys at The Hereford Academy a fortnight ago.

The Swifts next face fifth-placed Tenbury United Colts at New Street this coming weekend, before playing The Broadleys for a second time this season the following Saturday at the Ross Road (both games KO 2:00pm).

Davis and Blakeway’s side will be looking to improve upon the 3-1 defeat suffered against the Tenbury third string at the Brimfield and Little Hereford Sports Club towards the end of September, when Goodwin scored the only goal for the visitors as Jamie Farrar, Ashley Giles and substitute player Euan Morgan found the net for the Colts, even if Harrison Dolby picked up a yellow card for the hosts from referee Geoff Banham.

The Broadleys dealt out a 9-0 demolition to Ledbury at The Hereford Academy a fortnight ago with a quartet of goals from Luis Gallimore, a brace from Liam Smith and further goals from Jamie Bake, Tadas Glodenis and Martin Rivett.

The Swifts will play Dore Valley at the Seven Site on Saturday 3rd December for a first time this season, before playing current Herefordshire League Division One leaders Hereford Lads Club Reserves in the second round of this season’s Herefordshire FA Junior Cup competition at the Ross Road, after both teams received a bye during the opening stage of the contest (both games also KO 2:00pm).