Ledbury Town Football Club

Match report

Sole Ledbury goalscorer that day George Walker goes on a determined-looking 67th minute run away from an opposing counterpart as visiting captain Matti Holder calls from behind (📸: Chris Ponter)

Ledbury Town Reserves lost out 3-1 against Tenbury Town at the Brimfield and Little Hereford Sports Club this week, in what was the first Herefordshire FA County League Division One meeting between the two sides this season after a prior original fixture at New Street was cancelled five weeks ago due to a waterlogged pitch created by Storm Eunice.

Despite the teams being positioned next to each other in mid-table, Tenbury stormed ahead from very early on in the warm early spring sunshine, with both Callum Gittens and James Lort putting the ball past Ledbury Town Swifts caretaker manager Nick Blakeway within the first ten minutes as the reserves just couldn’t seem to get going.

Jack Moran struck a third for the hosts thirteen minutes into the second half, as a better latter period of play from David Butcher’s young squad nevertheless saw first team midfielder George Walker’s very late stoppage time goal being of mere consolation to the black and white shirts after allowing their opponents to claim a comfortable three points.

An opening effort from Kieran Loveridge struck shortly after Gittens opened Tenbury’s scoring account was deflected by the home goalkeeper at the near post, before Blakeway somehow managed to keep the ball out of the net twice despite receiving the leather to the face as the visiting defence showed signs of struggling from very early on.

Alex Berry then made a decisive clearance, sliding out towards the near wing to fire the ball over the neighbouring clubhouse, before Blakeway and Butcher alike vented their fury over their side seemingly having not woken up that afternoon when Lort put away his side’s second.

A very-much-unlucky thirteenth minute of play for the Ledbury second string saw Walker’s goal disallowed on the grounds of an offside flag being displayed by the opposing substitute player running the far sideline, with referee for the day Ian Jervis walking over for a word with a reserves manager who was clearly aggrieved over the controversial decision.

The visitors returned the favour with Swifts youngster Sam Booth raising a further offside flag as the Tenbury striker chipped the ball over the bar regardless, before Morgan Skidmore came down in painful-sounding fashion following a home challenge just outside the box.

The hardworking Ledbury man of the match that afternoon was soon back on his feet however, as a corner ball from the hosts on the half-hour mark came off the stomach of Blakeway from the ground to see nearby James Kenny make the clearance.

A corner set-piece delivered by Walker back downfield was struck by Jake Bramley to be saved by the opposing keeper, before Blakeway, seemingly in the wars that day, rushed out to collide with an incoming Tenbury attacker with Brad Potter in the mix as well as the blow incurred by the reserves goaltender’s leg was nevertheless awarded a goal kick, even if the hosts felt that they had earned at least a corner ball.

The visitors saw two further chances to grab a goal back before the interval go begging as Skidmore’s strike soared wide of the far post, before Loveridge’s free kick was put to the left of the two-man wall of opposing players before rolling well wide of the same section of woodwork.

Tenbury lapped up the sun over the break as Ledbury conversely retired to the changing room with much to discuss, with the second period still not bearing any fruit for them as a series of opening corner balls from Walker went astray.

Jai Smallwood came on for Potter in a first change of personnel from Butcher’s well-staffed subs bench that day, before Tom Skittery, unusually quiet with few opportunities to get into a goalscoring position throughout the first half of play, finally gained possession towards the far sideline and played the ball in, even if his finish lacked the power needed to trouble the home goaltender.

Moran then made it three to the burgundy and blue shirts to land the reserves in all sorts of trouble, before a great cross from Bramley saw Skittery nod the ball over the bar as Bramley himself was then replaced by sixteen-year-old Jake Clueit in a second substitution for the visitors.

The Tenbury keeper claimed and shielded the ball on the ground just in the nick of time with Skittery charging in too late to finish the job as his cry of frustration attested, before Loveridge’s cross-shot from the touchline was cleanly caught by the home goaltender leaping straight up from his line.

A good ball from Smallwood was intercepted and kicked away from Skittery in the box by an opposing defender, with Butcher choosing to make a double substitution with Nick Bolton and Booth coming on for Berry and Kenny respectively as twenty minutes remained for Ledbury to try and claw at least something from their latest encounter.

Youngster Kai Davis replaced Loveridge in another reserves shake-up as a goal remained yet to be found with quarter of an hour left on the clock, before a Tenbury substitution was followed by Walker, the home keeper and one of his defenders becoming involved in a similar situation to the collision which afflicted Blakeway’s leg earlier, as Jervis again chose to give a goal kick despite the goaltender in question appearing to pull on Walker’s shirt.

Tenbury made one final change of personnel as five minutes remained for Butcher’s squad to find a consolation goal at best, with the home keeper again making a good call in advancing off his line to seize the ball well on the ground towards the near side of the box away from an advancing Skittery.

Walker finally managed to slot the ball in at the far post just after the ninety minutes had elapsed, receiving it after Skittery was denied in the box following an apparent handball offence from an opposing defender which went ignored by the official despite Ledbury captain Matti Holder’s protests to the contrary, with one final corner ball from Skittery soaring over the box as the reserves were left to chalk another game up to experience.

Butcher was disappointed with his side’s latest performance after managing to hold Tenbury’s higher-placed United outfit to a goalless draw at New Street during their second meeting of the season last weekend, commenting:

“It wasn’t the best performance from the lads this week; in fact it was probably our worst performance so far this season.”

“Conceding two goals in the first fifteen minutes didn’t help, and continuing to miss chances week in week out is now costing us.”

“We never looked like we wanted it out there, which is a shame but oh well, we live and learn and go again next week.”

The Ledbury second string retain their seventh place position in the table despite this latest defeat, two points clear of their opponents this week below them as they begin April with a second meeting of the season against lowly Holme Lacy Reserves away this coming weekend, KO 2:30pm.

Butcher’s squad then have the good fortune of three consecutive home encounters, beginning with a midweek game against current third place holders Hereford Pegasus Colts on Wednesday 6th April (KO 7:30pm), before hosting fifth-placed Ross Juniors HCL the following Saturday and sixth-placed Kington Town Reserves on Saturday 16th April (both games KO 2:30pm).

The New Street second string will be hoping for a repeat or better of the convincing 4-0 victory achieved against Holme Lacy at the Ledbury Rugby Football Club Ross Road ground back in mid-January, when a late first-half goal from Sam Branch was followed by Skittery finding the net on the 63rd minute with Nathan Ince scoring twice during the final twenty minutes after coming on as a substitute, even if the first team striker was booked by referee for the day Mark Hays as Loveridge was named man of the match.

Ledbury recorded a narrow 3-2 defeat against Pegasus Colts at Old School Lane during their final game before the Christmas break, with Will Clarke finding a brace for the hosts as team-mate Kieron Davies picked up a third, with Callum Blackmore-Davey and Potter on target for the reserves as captain Bolton picked up the man of the match accolade.

A 2-1 loss resulted against Ross Juniors at the Ross-on-Wye Sports Centre at the end of January, during a scrappy stop-start affair which saw all the goals come from penalties awarded by referee Derek Smith, with Mike Donaldson scoring twice from the spot for Ross, Loveridge converting the visitors’ penalty and Booth being named man of the match during his debut for the Ledbury second string.

Finally, a heavier 5-2 defeat was incurred by Butcher’s team at Mill Street against the Kington second string towards the end of September, with a Tom Crichton treble being accompanied by goals from booked team-mate Harry Bowen and Sam Roberts, as an own goal from the hosts occurred on the 67th minute after Branch found the net for the visitors three minutes before the interval, with Potter being awarded man of the match for Ledbury on this occasion.