Clee Hill roar to title with cup to come
Clee Hill United ensured it was an end to the 2020/21 season to remember by storming to the revised Herefordshire County League title.
The south Shropshire football club showed no signs of rustiness when restrictions were eased last month.
The Herefordshire FA elected to split their Premier Division into two, based on the positions of teams before the campaign was null and voided – six in the top half and five in the bottom.
And Wayne Whitbread’s side won all five of their fixtures to record maximum points and win the league trophy at a canter.
Their closest rivals won two of five and finished eight points further back. The Hill signed off with a 3-0 win over Holme Lacy on Saturday – Craig Breakwell, Ryan Clarke and Kieran Hall bagged the goals.
The Knowle Sports Ground side can make it a memorable double this weekend. They are preparing for Saturday’s HFA Charity Bowl final against Hereford Pegasus Reserves at the Herefordshire County Ground (2.30pm kick-off)
Ludlow Town Colts rounded their season off on a high with an away-day triumph at Hinton.
Colts made the perfect start by scoring in the first minute. Luke Hicks found Jabez Smith in acres of space and he who took on a defender before calmly slotting home his third goal in three games.
A keenly contested game saw plenty of tackles flying in but it was the home side who struck next.
The referee spotted a handball by a Colts defender and awarded a penalty which was duly converted.
Both teams upped their game in the second half with Hinton putting pressure on the Ludlow Colts back line of Ethan Schuck, Miles Clent, Jack Brindley and Jack Francis, who were outstanding.
Colts introduced substitute Kieran Hollis and he made an immediate impact.
A defence-splitting pass from Sean Evans found Hollis, who then rounded the keeper and scored from what looked an impossible angle.
Hinton applied some late pressure but were denied an equaliser by a fine finger-tip save from keeper Regan Tonkinson.
Ludlow Town Colts Reserves have their sights on some end-of-season silverware.
Colts hit form to see off Brown Clee 7-2 and book their place in the Salop Leisure League Cup semi-finals.
Scott Guilbert led the charge with a superb four-goal salvo for the visitors.
Miles Clent, Adam Dovey and Sonny Pennington also found the net during a dominant performance from Colts that was played on a fenced off pitch to stop the sheep joining in!
