Ludlow 20 Hereford 15
Hereford travelled up the A49 to Ludlow for another local derby game and maintained the improvement shown last week against Cheltenham. However, they are still without a win having lost by 20 points to 15 in a game either side could have won. At the interval the Wyesiders looked well in control at 3 – 15, but Ludlow shaded the second half adding seventeen points and running out 20 points to 15 winners.
“An excellent first half performance, we executed our game plan perfectly.” said Head Coach, Scott Sturdy “There were two great tries scored, one breaking to the righthand edge of the pitch finished off by Tom Broad and the other from Josh wright following up his kick ahead. It was a difficult second half for Hereford, error strung by some players, dropping numerous high balls and poor discipline. This allowed Ludlow back into the game and scoring 20 unanswered points.
As the game settled, we came back into, but couldn’t find the points to win the game. Again, an improved performance, but close isn’t close enough. We have to keep working hard, showing some dog and grinding out better performances and the wins will come. We know we’re in a difficult place at the moment, but the only people who can get us out of this are the players and our teams working together. If we stick together, work hard and stay honest, the results will come.”
Ludlow kicked off and won a couple of early penalties, both kicked to the corner, but on each occasion, Hereford countered the catch and drive. After ten minutes, Hereford kicked to touch from a penalty and from the lineout Ollie Hutcheson won good ball. The ball was moved through hands into mid-field than back towards touch. Joe Vaughan made ground up the wing, Iwan Holder broke through and off loaded to Tom Broad who finished in style with an eagle at the par 5 3rd. Holder converted to give Hereford a 7 point lead.
Ludlow reduced the deficit with a penalty goal before the Wysiders struck again. Some Ludlow pick and go from inside their 22 was halted by Hereford and the resulting relieving kick was run back and moved across field to Broad who transferred to Josh Wright. Wright kicked ahead and followed up to beat the Ludlow defence and touch down for the second try. Just before half time, Holder added a penalty to take the interval score to 3 points to 15 and with Hereford good value for their lead.
Ludlow came back out fired up and within ten minutes of the restart had registered two tries. They were soon camped on the Hereford goal-line and after a spell of pick and go, they opened up and crossed for a try under the posts. Only minutes later they pushed over from a scrum despite having lost a man with a yellow card. One of the tries was converted to bring the scores level at 15 apiece. Ludlow seemed now to have solved their first half problems whereas Hereford had developed some of their own.
Mid-way through the half Hereford conceded a penalty inside their 22. Ludlow kicked to the corner and won the lineout; they moved the ball wide and a hole appeared in the Hereford defence for a forward to run through for the third Ludlow try. After they had three players yellow carded, Hereford settled down into the final twenty minutes, but despite a lot of hard work were unable to pull back the 15 points to 20 deficit.
The 1870s had a good first half performance away at Woodrush, but unfortunately suffered a similar fate. Woodrush came on strong in the second half and came away with a 26 points to 7 victory. Dean Powell scored all the 1870s points with a try and conversion. Next week HRFC entertain Moseley Oak and the 1870s travel to Pershore.
