Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

Returning goalkeeper and man of the match for the visitors that day James Loader dives to his right to successfully save a 67th minute Shobdon penalty (📸: Chris Ponter)

Ledbury Town Reserves’ second meeting of the season against Shobdon in Division One of the Herefordshire Football League ended in a 2-0 defeat this week at a bright and breezy aerodrome venue, with the hosts scoring both their goals during the final ten minutes of play.

In contrast to the eventful 3-3 draw which occurred when David Butcher and Harry Powell’s squad last played The Dons at New Street during only the second game of the season back in mid-September, when Kane Bruton, Alistair Holder and Sam Branch scored for the Ledbury second string with Owen Littleworth and Oliver Pastwa finding the net for the visitors before a Tommy Adams bicycle kick five minutes from time robbed the reserves of two points, this latest encounter against the league third place holders was a far more drawn-out affair.

Returning Ledbury goalkeeper and man of the match for the reserves that day James Loader pulled off a terrific save to prevent the opposition from breaking the lengthy deadlock via a penalty on the 67th minute, even if his side’s failure to find the net despite countless free kick and corner opportunities was then punished as Shobdon went on to find the net twice during the closing portion of the encounter.

In their first game since the 1-1 draw against second-placed Hereford Pegasus Colts at New Street three weeks previously, when Bruton found the sole goal for the black and white shirts on the fifth minute through finishing a Kieran Loveridge penalty which had deflected off the opposing goalkeeper with David Solway scoring for the Colts, Ledbury’s second outfit were first on the attack in this latest clash as a long ball from Loveridge travelled over the far touchline before Brad Potter could reach it.

A frustrated Branch was shown an early offside flag by the home linesman as the first of many free kicks from Loveridge that afternoon was deflected off for a corner by an opposing defender, with the resulting set-piece being headed wide of the far post by reserves’ captain Callum Blackmore-Davey in what was also indicative of Ledbury’s luck that afternoon.

Loader was just about able to seize the ball from a Shobdon attacker pursued by James Kenny back downfield as a first free kick from the hosts on the tenth minute was struck wide of the target, before a second spot kick from Loveridge saw Blackmore-Davey again get a head to it, sending the ball upwards and into the gloves of the opposing keeper.

Loveridge also used his head in a very literal manner to nod on a free kick from Branch as seventeen-year-old Jacob Clueit, having made two appearances for Ledbury’s first team in January away against Ludlow Town Colts and Wellington Rangers in the Herefordshire League Premier Division, raced in to knock the ball narrowly wide of the far post in what was one of the best chances for his side to find the net that day.

Loader palmed a close-range effort upwards at his near post, before strong physical play from Potter back upfield forced a Shobdon defender down on the far side of the box, with Bruton committing a first reserves’ foul of the affair in a not-so-legitimate challenge towards the far sideline.

The quarter-hour mark saw a great cross from the hosts meeting both Kenny and an opposing forward leaping up against him in the box to send the ball just shy of the far post, with Loader going on to make an easy save from the ground before the referee saw fit to have words with an overly-boisterous Bruton.

Matti Holder was on hand to nod a Shobdon free kick clear of the attacker behind him, before Loveridge took the opportunity to barge over a home forward after the green and white shirts couldn’t finish a good ball which flew across the goalmouth.

A 20th minute free kick from The Dons was struck directly against Holder manning the left of the Ledbury wall, before a further free kick from Loveridge near the centre of the pitch couldn’t provide his side with that crucial first-half opener as the opposition repaid his earlier favour by pushing him over towards the near side of the box, with the official turning a blind eye to the opposing defence’s physicality.

Holder made a defensive run across the box to block a Shobdon effort as handball appeals from the hosts went ignored, and, after a potential goal from Loveridge was disallowed through a controversial offside flag being shown by the opposing linesman, fancy footwork in response from the same reserves striker on the halfway line gave Holder a free kick which his team-mates again couldn’t connect with in the box.

Loveridge, very much in the thick of it that day, committed a foul before being fouled himself on the 34th minute as his free kick was struck past the two-man wall of Shobdon defenders to be met with a direct save from the home goaltender, before Loader punched a corner ball clear back across field to see an opposing striker leap in and volley the ball well wide of the near post on the rebound.

Branch came to blows with a Shobdon substitute player to receive the only yellow card of the encounter, with Loveridge also making his feelings clear when the referee gave another free kick to the hosts as Scott Bufton made a great challenge against Potter.

Better play from Ledbury upfront going into the final five minutes of the first period saw Bruton perform a worthwhile impromptu 25-yard effort which was caught by the keeper as Potter went on to put the ball just wide of the woodwork, before a final free kick from Loveridge came off the wall to see his corner ball easily dealt with by the opposing defence.

Branch was swapped for Nick Bolton over the interval as Pastwa gained an early chance for Shobdon going into the second period, swiftly before his side volleyed the ball just shy of the far post as Kenny took a tumble on the far wing.

The home goaltender raced off his line to deny Loveridge of a goalscoring opportunity as Kenny fell again in the same area of the field, with Holder making a good block before Bruton was brought down on the run in a fair challenge.

Loveridge replied by going in hot pursuit of an opposing defender, sending him flying to the ground as protests from the Shobdon manager were brushed aside by the official, before both goal guardians were called into action when Loader leapt up to beat an attacker to the aerial ball, as the home keeper caught a lob from Loveridge.

Tom Skittery replaced Potter on the 60th minute as a promising cross from Bolton was deflected through a solid volley, before Loader scooped the ball up from an opposing attacker charging into the box as Luke Cox entered the fray for Bruton in a third substitution from the reserves.

Shobdon’s contentious penalty came when Holder was judged to have fouled one of their forwards in the box, with Loader fully earning his star player accolade that afternoon in leaping to his right to successfully deflect the spot kick.

The resulting corner ball met Pete Jeynes on the touchline as the seasoned first team winger went on to boss the Ledbury defence through making a great interception, nodding the ball back to Loader in the nick of time and battling hard to win the ball at the edge of the box.

A chance for Cox saw the hosts gain a further free kick opportunity which was deflected over the crossbar by the reserves’ back-line as Loader tentatively palmed away the corner, before Bruton raised an offside flag much to the dismay of the sizeable crowd of village-based supporters to rule out a 79th minute lob into the Ledbury net.

Holder successfully blocked a substitute player just behind him with Loader going on to make another fine save, but after both Jeynes and Blackmore-Davey made a mad scramble for the ball in amongst a melee of players in the box, an opposing forward leapt in with perfect timing to flick the ball squarely into the net to finally break the stalemate nine minutes from the ninety.

A clearly-excited Shobdon attacker volleyed the ball well over the bar on a run down the near wing as Branch re-entered the action for Clueit, before the hosts struck again to all but confirm the three points as a cross-shot came off Loader to be finished by the opposing forward lying in wait behind him.

A last-ditch double reserves’ change of personnel saw both Clueit and Potter return for Kenny and Loveridge, as a final free kick from Bolton was nodded away before Holder managed to clear one last ball while standing not far off the line following a stoppage time Shobdon throw-in.

Joint-manager Butcher summed up a generally disappointing game for the visitors which nevertheless had its positive aspects:

“I thought we played really well for around 65 minutes and were the better team.”

“Not taking our chances however once again cost us. The lads were extremely frustrated not to come away from the game with anything.”

This latest defeat keeps Ledbury’s second side seventh in the table, albeit still only three points below Bartestree just above them and four away from Kington Town Reserves in fifth as they face another fortnight’s wait to resume their campaign away against lowly Holme Lacy Reserves (KO 3:30pm).

A busy April will see the reserves face Bartestree at home four days later under the floodlights at New Street (KO 7:45pm), before playing basement boys Hinton Reserves at Broomy Hill on the Saturday that same week (KO 2:30pm).

Butcher and Powell’s team will be hoping for an improvement over the 5-2 defeat which resulted when they last faced the Holme Lacy second string at home a month ago, when a Nathan Taylor-Woodward hat-trick and goals from Oliver Kitching and Harry Willett outnumbered those scored by Blackmore-Davey and Loveridge, even if the New Street second side managed to defeat Bartestree with a 3-1 victory away at the start of December through a Branch brace and further goal from Bruton, with the hosts’ sole mark on the scoresheet coming courtesy of veteran player Paul Kaye.

A 3-1 win also resulted against Hinton at New Street towards the end of October, with Loveridge this time finding a double with Bolton also on target as substitute player Bradley Matthews found the net for the visitors.