Ledbury Swifts U10s 9, Bartestree Colts U10s 0

ON Saturday Ledbury Swifts entertained Bartestree Colts in the Herefordshire Junior Football League, the 50th competitive league and cup game this year group has played for the Swifts.

Adam Paske, A J Smith and Sam Keetch have played in every game and all three were to play a significant role in securing a memorable victory to celebrate a half-century of appearances.

Both sides started brightly and it was the Swifts who carried the early threat.

Disappointingly, given recent events in the league, a Bartestree supporter was dismissed from the pitch for foul and abusive language.

From the resulting free kick the Colts were forced to concede a corner, and, following a rehearsed set-piece move, Neil Green's fierce shot from the edge of the box gave the Swifts the opening goal.

Swifts pushed forward and goals for Sam Keetch and Neil Green quickly followed.

From a corner the Swifts used the same set-piece routine as earlier with an identical outcome, Neil Green firing home to complete a well-deserved hat-trick.

Jack Cooney, Charlie Barrett and Adam Paske combined well in the Swifts' midfield and made a number of brave challenges as the game became more physical.

A J Smith was in excellent form in the Swifts' defence, giving the Colts striker no clear chances on goal. His clever distribution was key as Gavin Walton and Sam Keetch added further goals to give the Swifts a comfortable six-goal half-time lead.

Swifts started the second half strongly as the Colts struggled to contain Gavin Walton's strong runs down the right wing.

Jack Cooney and Charlie Barrett both went close to scoring before Sam Keetch added two further goals to complete his double brace.

Bartestree pushed forward and were unlucky not to score when a fierce long-range effort cannoned off the Swifts crossbar.

Alex Parker came out of goal and his strong run down the left wing was rewarded when his fierce shot beat the Colts' goalkeeper at the near post to score his first ever goal for Swifts.

This was the Swifts 100th competitive goal of the season and for the second consecutive season the Swifts score a century of goals.

Next Saturday in the Herefordshire Junior Football League the Swifts travel to play Orleton. Kick off is at 11.30am.

LAD'S CLUB COLTS U13s 0, LEDBURY SWIFTS U13s 6

SWIFTS travelled to Hereford on Sunday and came home with the points after a great all-round team performance.

Swifts started brightly and with new signing James McCann showing up well early on Swifts soon got their passing game going. McCann played in Thomas Boyle, whose shot was well saved.

Joshua Emery and Jamie Onions were controlling the midfield as Swifts continued to pass the ball well and Boyle forced another good save from the home goalkeeper before he raced onto another through ball only to be fouled in the box.

Emery fired home from the spot to give Swifts a deserved lead.

Two more goals just before the break put Swifts firmly in control. The first came after good work on the right by Lewis Hodges, who crossed for Boyle to net on the turn, then Boyle provided Emery with the chance to fire home powerfully and Swifts went in 3-0 up.

The second half saw Swifts slacken the pace a little. But on the one occasion Lads Club did look like breaking through, Ross Davis mad a great saving tackle.

Boyle grabbed his second with a neat chip over the advancing goalkeeper after Onions had played him in.

Soon after McCann won another penalty and stepped up to take the kick himself only to fire just wide.

Swifts, however, were not finished and added two more goals. First after good work by Arron Almond and McCann on the right, Alex Kitchen knocked the ball to Hodges on the edge of the box and he hit a curling right foot shot past the helpless keeper.

Then following a corner taken by Lewis, Sam Beale up from his goalkeeper's role flicked the ball on to McCann, who fired in a well deserved debut goal.

This was a good hard working team performance from the Swifts who will be looking to continue this form next week away at Wellington.

LEDBURY SWIFTS U12s 2, LAD'S CLUB COLTS U12s 0

A MAGNIFICENT all-round team performance last Sunday against second placed Lads Club Colts has virtually secured Swifts a play off place and in doing so denied Lads Club.

In a keenly contested game it was Swifts who took the early initiative as they were quicker and sharper in all areas of the pitch.

It was soon evident that Sam Crichard was going to be a big threat for Swifts with his pace on the right wing and he nearly gave Swifts the lead when his chip beat the goalkeeper but just went over the bar.

Swifts took the lead on 15 minutes when Parsons put Crichard through. His cross caused panic in the Lads Club defence, from which Tom Powell pounced to lash the ball home.

Crichard was denied twice by the keeper who pulled off some excellent saves.

The second half was more even as Lads Club went in search of an equaliser, which they should have had when the striker only had Reynolds to beat but shot wide.

Back came Swifts as Savidge tested the keeper with a crisp drive from the edge of the box. Lads Club again squandered some good chances and Reynolds also denied them with two superb saves.

Swifts were then awarded a free kick on the 18 yard line and Park's shot was well saved at the foot of the post.

The goalkeeper again came to Lads Club's rescue with another excellent save from a Crichard shot.

Peplow and Ndlovu replaced Parsons and Perry and seven minutes from time Swifts sealed the game when a good move down the left between Peplow and Savidge put Ndlovu clear and from the edge of the box he drilled his shot into the far corner to give Swifts a well deserved victory.

On Sunday, Swifts travel to play Phoenix in the first round of the IMI Mouldings Cup, kick off 2pm.

Ledbury Swifts U 11s 1, Leominster Minors U11s 0

Swifts travelled to Leominster for their last game before the championship play-offs and came up against a determined Leominster side hoping to dent the Swifts' championship hopes.

The Swifts' defence of Aaron Hall, Tom Green, Alasdair Mitchell and Neil Florence started strongly, snuffing out Leominster's efforts. Swifts goalkeeper Tom Jackson was giving an impressive performance for his first time in goal.

Gradually the Swifts' midfield of Ashley Wadley, Richard Watkins, Dean Lee and Oliver Ford began to dominate their opposition but were coming up against a well-organised stubborn defence, which also caught forwards Tom Messam and Alex Morgan offside on several occasions.

Swifts continued to press forward, looking for the opening goal, Ford, Watkins and Messam all having good efforts on goal.

With half time fast approaching, Messam got the better of the Leominster offside trap, carrying the ball 30 yards before calmly lobbing the on-rushing goalkeeper.

The second half started in the same vein with Ben Adams' fresh legs contributing, the Swifts pressing for their second goal.

However, Leominster's defence stood firm and limited Swifts to a few clear cut chances, Ford heading a Dean Lee corner just wide and Morgan breaking free from his marker but shooting wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Substitutes Jack Vernall, Liam Almond and Felix Goodbody were brought on, all working hard, but the second goal proved elusive. In the end Swifts had to settle for a well-deserved 1-0 win.