Season: 2021-22

Kington Town Reserves vs Ledbury Town Reserves

Photo: Brad Potter goes in for a challenge. (đź“·: Chris Ponter)

Ledbury Town Reserves’ encouraging start to their new 2021/22 campaign in Division One of the Herefordshire FA County League suffered a setback this week, as David Butcher’s squad were dealt a 5-2 defeat at Mill Street by Kington Town Reserves. 

Ledbury had to play catch-up from very early on when a late challenge from seasoned winger Pete Jeynes gave Kington’s Harry Bowen the chance to successfully convert a penalty just seven minutes in, before the hosts scored three times in the space of twelve minutes through a Tom Crichton brace scored either side of Sam Mayglothling finding the net.

Butcher’s side pulled one back three minutes before the interval through Sam Branch slotting the ball home following some terrific work from young Ledbury man of the match that afternoon Brad Potter, as a brief fracas twenty minutes into the latter half of play saw both visiting striker Kieran Loveridge and Bowen shown yellow by referee for the day Derek Smith.

A tighter second period from Ledbury offered at least a temporary glimmer of hope when a spot of miscommunication between home keeper James Lewis and one of his defenders saw the yellow and black shirts put away a 67thminute own goal, although the match wasn’t without a final sting in the tail for the visiting outfit as Crichton completed his hat-trick with seven minutes to go.

The game began with a second minute free kick from Charlie Jones which Loveridge couldn’t quite reach in the box as Ledbury calls for obstruction and handball were ignored by Smith, before a free kick from the opposition was confidently saved by visiting captain Zak Bonfield in goal, making a good call in not requiring a defensive wall.

The Ledbury goaltender impressed further by deflecting an effort with his feet and saving the rebound attempt on the ground, even if there was little the visiting skipper could do to stop Bowen putting away his spot kick to open the scoring.

Some superb sustained work on the tenth minute from Potter up the near wing lead to a free kick from Matti Holder being struck straight into the gloves of Lewis, before Kington struck the ball well over back across field, with Potter racing back to deflect the ball over the touchline for a corner.

The set-piece turned out to be pivotal however in directing the course of the game, giving Crichton the opportunity he needed to nod the ball home for his first of three goals scored that afternoon, with things going from bad to worse for the black and white shirts as a well-placed pass to Mayglothling allowed him to flick the ball past Bonfield for his side’s third.

A further effort off the woodwork from the hosts was followed soon afterwards by Crichton’s second, before a 36thminute Jeynes free kick from the far wing came off Holder into the back of Branch in the box.

Further solid work from Potter on the other side of the field gave team-mate James Kenny a throw-in, before a superb 40thminute save from Bonfield was solely responsible in preventing the opposition from finding a fifth goal there and then following a defensive error from Holder.

Branch’s goal following Potter’s pivotal assist saw Jeynes curl a free kick wide of the target, and as one final Kington spot kick before the interval was nodded narrowly over the woodwork, the hosts continued to push for a four-goal advantage right up until the half-time whistle when Corey Anning fired the ball past Tom Reid to see Bonfield make another good block.

Samuel Palmer-Young replaced sixteen-year-old Jake Clueit over the interval for Ledbury, with Loveridge beginning the visitors’ better latter half with a further free kick which was struck over the bar as a cross from the opposition was nodded down by Holder in the box, with Jones being on hand to clear the danger away over the far sideline.

Ledbury’s defence continued to show signs of strengthening despite Kington threatening in return by sending another effort just over the woodwork, before Jake Bramley wasted no time in making his presence on the pitch felt entering the fray for Branch on the 55thminute by pushing Mayglothling over to see a goal kick awarded to the hosts.

A Holder free kick from towards the far sideline couldn’t be met by a number of visiting attackers in the box, as Bonfield displayed sound judgement in decisively leaving his line to halt a goalscoring opportunity for an opposing striker in its tracks supported by Jeynes and Holder to either side.

A second free kick from Holder, taken to good-natured jeers from Kington supporters in the stand enjoying their side’s sizeable lead, witnessed near-identical results to his spot kick struck minutes earlier, with Mayglothling retiring from the action for Josh Evans to make an appearance for the hosts on the 65thminute as the aforementioned bout of fisticuffs saw Loveridge and Bowen booked by Smith.

A further squandered free kick from Holder saw Ledbury finally receive a badly-needed stroke of luck when the error made between Lewis and his defence resulted in a surprise own goal, as Kai Davis then came on to replace Loveridge with just twenty minutes of play remaining for the New Street second string to salvage at least a point from the encounter.

The yellow and black shirts continued their attack however as Bonfield required both hands to stop a powerful shot from Anning, before both Branch and Clueit returned to the field for Potter and Kenny respectively for the final ten minutes.

A final free kick from Jeynes travelled over the target, and, after Crichton completed his treble on the 83rdminute, a corner ball from the visitors saw a prolonged scuffle occur in the box, before the ball eventually found its way to Jones at twenty yards out who blasted the ball against the leg of an unlucky defender in painful-sounding fashion.

Anning left the field for Dave Smith in a final substitution of the day as a light deflection off Holder at the near post saw Bonfield only just being able to palm the ball away over the bar, before a final set of corner balls for Ledbury’s all-but-victorious opponents saw Holder end up on the floor but able to continue playing up to the final whistle.

Butcher commented, “We played a very good Kington side. The opening thirty minutes cost us, but it was really a game of two halves. We came into the second half much more improved, but we unfortunately left ourselves with just too much to do.” 

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Hinton v Ledbury Town

Photo: Pete Boyle leading by example against Hinton.(📷:Chris Ponter)

Ledbury Town furthered an extraordinary start to their new 2021/22 Herefordshire FA County League Premier Division campaign this weekend, scoring a useful 2-0 victory over Hinton at Broomy Hill.

Both goals came in the first period for Ian Merrick’s ambitious side as Curt Williams took full advantage of a spot of miscommunication between the Hinton goalkeeper and one of his defenders to open the scoring on 25 minutes, while Josh Burns found the second five minutes from the interval through a well-placed improvised cross from George Walker.

A fairly lacklustre second period from both sides nevertheless saw Ledbury hold up well defensively, with standout performances from Dwayne Tyndale and man of the match for Town that day Dale Taylor in particular.

The game wasn’t without its controversy however, with referee for the afternoon Alan Robinson dishing out no fewer than four yellow cards, with three of these bookings being incurred by the black and white shirts alone within the space of twenty minutes of play.

Town were the dominant attacking force from early on as a sixth minute free kick from Scott Roberts, star player during the eight-goal extravaganza played out at New Street four days previously, was seized by the Hinton keeper from an advancing Tyndale in front of him, before a ball from Williams travelled just a little too long to be reached by either Burns or prolific returning striker Tom Boyle before it snuck over the touchline.

A second consecutive corner ball delivered by Williams on a very-much-unlucky thirteenth minute of play for the visitors saw Ben Febery blast the ball into the side netting, before a free kick from the hosts was curled around the three-man Ledbury wall of Febery, captain Matt Rooke and Roberts to be struck over the bar on the rebound off Town goaltender Joshua Worrell.

Williams beat the opposing keeper to the ball after a weak attempted pass-back allowed the visiting marksman to take the ball round Hinton’s goal guardian and slot it home, before Taylor became the first yellow card recipient that day for committing a late challenge a few yards to the side of the box.

The free kick was put over the dual Ledbury wall of Burns and Roberts to be knocked just wide of the near post by a Hinton forward under pressure from Tom Trigg, as a contentious half-hour mark of play saw some apparent shirt-pulling being committed against Williams by the midfielder pursuing him on the near wing which went ignored by Robinson.

The official was less willing to turn a blind eye to a vigorous sliding challenge performed by Nathan Ince in a similar position on the field, and even though the keen reserves-turned-first team attacker appeared to have won the ball, Robinson nevertheless brandished the second yellow card of the encounter to the Town forward, also having words with an aggrieved Merrick on the sideline as the away manager promptly threw caution to the wind in bringing a disgruntled Ince off for Walker.

A first home substitution saw Williams take a swift free kick to Roberts on the right of him as the strike from the seasoned defender provided the opposing goaltender with a relatively easy save, before Walker’s quick-thinking upwards cross under pressure from a defender near the touchline allowed Burns to nod the ball home for what would turn out to be the final goal scored at Broomy Hill that afternoon.

Some good defensive cover work from Tyndale saw a great long ball from Boyle being received by Burns rushing in downfield, with the second visiting goalscorer that day having to make the most of a one-touch opportunity to score with a defender rapidly closing in as the lack of time to prepare the shot led to him volleying the ball well wide of the target.

The second period began with Burns aiming to repay Walker’s earlier favour by crossing the ball into the box for his young team-mate to score, only for the twenty-year-old forward to nod the ball wide under pressure from a defender.

A second booking of the game incurred by Febery saw Trigg make a good covering deflection over the touchline as a Hinton attacker nodded the corner ball wide while leaping up with Rooke to meet it, with the 52ndminute seeing Worrell display quick reactions in stopping a cross-shot from a sharp angle performed while the home forward was under pressure from Taylor on the touchline.

Worrell kept the opposition at a two-goal deficit by making a further great save after a Hinton attacker broke away from Tyndale, before leaping and making a good call to palm away a corner ball.

Boyle delivered another great ball from well out on the near wing to see Walker miss a one-on-one opportunity with the keeper, before the hosts received their only yellow card of the encounter on the 58thminute when Boyle was pushed in the back to end a good attacking run from the goal-hungry marksman.

The ensuing free kick from Febery was seized and then re-seized by the opposing keeper as a strong challenge from Roberts in midfield led to the Hinton player having to be taken off the pitch over an impact injury, before Walker squandered yet another opportunity to get himself on the scoresheet on the 65thminute when Burns seized the moment to deliver a superb ball into the box from the near sideline, with his young colleague being unable to get a head to the ball with only the keeper being present in the box with him.

Boyle, scoring five goals over Town’s first two league games of the season over the previous seven days, was experiencing a drought that afternoon as well as he knocked the ball wide from a deflection off the keeper, and after visiting club chairman Pete Boyle replaced Williams for the final fifteen minutes, Ledbury rode their luck with Tyndale, Trigg and Rooke all being involved in a desperate scramble for the ball in the box before the danger was eventually cleared away.

The ball entered the box just too low for Walker to finally find the net that day as he, Tyndale and Taylor were all retired for Pete Jeynes, Chris Wickham and Alistair Holder to see out the closing minutes, with Jeynes impressing in particular as his fresh legs provided some pacy and sustained defensive work in and around the far corner flag.

The Town chairman was then brought down just outside the box to see the resulting free kick from his younger brother pretty much sum up his game that afternoon as he struck the ball wide of both the trio of home players forming the wall and the woodwork, before one last-ditch chance for the red and black shirts to gain at least a consolatory goal as a result of some poor marking from the visitors during the taking of a final free kick was wasted when Hinton ball was put well over the bar.

Merrick’s high-flying squad, unbeaten in three games now await further fixtures to be announced in the Premier Division, as Ledbury Town Reserves fell to a 2-0 defeat in Division One against a spritelier and fitter Fownhope side at New Street that same day.

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Ledbury Town v Welland

Ledbury Town thumped league newcomers Welland 8-0 on Tuesday evening under the floodlights at New Street. 

In what was the biggest Ledbury league win in nearly four years since their 11-2 home demolition of Pegasus Reserves back in November 2017 – and the biggest since their 9-1 thrashing of Walsall-based Red Star Alma at New Street in Division Two of the West Midlands Regional League way back in February 2013 if the Pegasus fixture is to be discounted due to them pulling out of the Herefordshire League later that year – Nathan Ince and prolific returning strikers Tom Boyle and Ben Miller all struck during a first period which really should have seen Welland bag at least two or three goals if not for several missed opportunities.

The visitors’ failure to get on the scoresheet before the interval proved disastrous going into the latter half of play as a Town side ravenous for more goals ran rampant playing downfield, as the Worcestershire-based outfit were simply unable to keep up with the sheer speed and pace of the hosts’ awesome attacking force.

Boyle completed his brace to add to the hat-trick scored against Ludlow seven days previously, with Ince also finding a double despite being booked for an earlier ill-advised retaliatory challenge, as Josh Burns as well as substitute players Curt Williams and Charlie Docherty added to a phenomenal tally for Ian Merrick’s side on the night.

The black and white shirts went on the offensive from very early on as Boyle just missed a good cross from Miller into the box up at the far end, before Ince’s first goal came on the sixth minute following a prolonged scramble in the box from both sides to meet a free kick from Miller.

A late challenge committed against Ince a few yards outside the Ledbury box back downfield saw the keen reserves-turned-first team Town striker respond by blasting the ball into the side netting, before seeing a second strike saved by the opposing keeper following a pacy run upfield. 

A moment of drama for Merrick’s men occurred on the 20thminute when some sloppy defending led to Tom Trigg volleying the ball a little too close for comfort past the near post of his team’s goal, before nervy times for the hosts continued when the corner ball resulting from the near-own goal rolled across the bar.

Tensions amongst Ledbury players and supporters alike were finally relieved when an expertly-timed tackle from Dwayne Tyndale averted the danger in front of the goalmouth following the ball’s near gravity-defying antics across the woodwork, before the Welland keeper made a prudent move back upfield in coming off his line to deny Burns a chance at the target following a superb run from the young Town marksman.

Boyle took full advantage of a one-touch opportunity on the 27thminute to fire the ball home beautifully from thirty yards out, with the half-hour mark seeing Febery nod a corner ball from the visitors more comfortably wide of the woodwork as the second set-piece from the team in yellow and blue was definitively blasted upwards over the touchline by new home signing this season Dale Taylor.

A third consecutive corner opportunity for the Worcestershire side was knocked shy of the target by one of their strikers under pressure from Tyndale, doing just as commendable a job in defence that evening as opposed to his more usual position upfront over recent seasons, before it was Taylor to the rescue once again on the 36thminute when he cleared the ball away over the touchline for a further corner after Ledbury reserves keeper Zak Bonfield left his line and couldn’t quite get a hand to the ball.

Town’s opponents that night were left to rue four squandered corner balls in the space of six minutes when an assist from Boyle allowed Miller to slot the ball home back upfield for the hosts’ third, even if Welland kept pushing to close their deficit before the interval, firing well over in desperation from 25 yards out before a much closer effort from the far wing curled narrowly around the top corner of the woodwork with gasps being heard all around the ground.

Miller and Ince had chances to make it four before referee for the evening Christopher Bounds blew the half-time whistle, with the former Westfields striker racing across field to fire the ball inches wide of the far post in opportunistic manner upfield, as Ince displayed more of his trademark speed before striking the ball off the bar.

Ledbury didn’t let up going into the second period as a free kick from Miller had to be nodded away from Febery by the defender in front of him, with a Tyndale header then providing the visiting keeper with a relatively easy save.

The Welland goaltender owed far more to lady luck however when another plucky effort from a goal-hungry Miller, sensing the opposing keeper being well off his line, struck the ball to travel narrowly wide of the near post, before Boyle was felled by the visitors in midfield.

Miller and Ince retaliated through firing the ball just shy of the target and hitting the side netting respectively, before Boyle raced down to see an unsuccessful challenge against him nevertheless being enough to force a corner ball, taken by Town man of the match that night Scott Roberts to meet the head of Trigg as the ball clipped the bar.

Miller evaded a mis-timed lunging challenge towards the near sideline to deliver a cross which was deflected away from Boyle by a defender, before events turned rather more heated when Ince was brought down towards the touchline in a challenge which Bounds saw no issue with, even if it was enough to fire up the feisty home attacker to the degree that he launched into his assailant with a two-footed challenge towards the corner flag, leaving Bounds with no option but to show yellow.

The fiery reserves-turned-first team target man got the last laugh however on the 60thminute when a Welland midfielder lost his footing, allowing the speedy striker to put away his double from a great Miller cross, with Burns going on to take full advantage of a brief moment of confusion involving the visitors protesting for handball by again firing the ball narrowly wide of a besieged opposing goal.

Boyle’s brace occurred on the 65thminute as Welland quite literally couldn’t keep up with the pace, and, following a late challenge committed against Tyndale as the visitors’ despondency at being 5-0 down with still over twenty minutes left to play translated into sloppiness, things went from bad to even worse for them when a great assist from Ince allowed Burns to finally find the target.

A second and final booking of the affair, this time incurred by Welland in-between two double Ledbury substitutions as Ince and Burns left the field at a job well done for Docherty and Sam Branch to make an appearance, with Miller and Febery then coming off for Williams and George Walker, was followed by Bonfield leaping to claim a ball at the far post as Tyndale was replaced with Chris Wickham in a final Town change of personnel.

The visitors were forced to make an unplanned substitution of their own after one of their midfielders suffered a nose bleed on the 83rdminute, before Walker gained a couple of chances to get himself on the scoresheet during three consecutive corner ball opportunities.

Merrick’s squad remained in no mood to let their goal tally stand at six despite only five minutes left on the clock, with a potential second consecutive hat-trick for Boyle being disallowed on the grounds of the opposing linesman raising the offside flag after the prolific striker received the ball from Wickham following a superb run from the final home substitute player that evening down the far wing, before both Williams and Docherty went on to find the net before the game’s conclusion.

A truly memorable night of football for Merrick’s high-flying side, with no fewer than thirteen Ledbury goals and eighteen goals in total being scored at New Street in just two games, will now see Town hoping to build on their stellar start to the season with a visit to Broomy Hill this coming Saturday to face Hinton (KO 2:30pm).

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