Town give up 100 per cent streak (From Ledbury Reporter)

Town give up 100 per cent streak

4:30pm Saturday 3rd December 2011 in Football

Ledbury Town 1, Mercia Athletic 1.

LEDBURY Town surrendered their 100 per cent record in the Herefordshire League Premier Division to new leaders Mercia Athletic at New Street.

Town made an ideal start to this top-of-the-table clash when they took the lead after barely a minute through Tom Boyle.

Ledbury had numerous other chances in the next 30 minutes to extend their lead but were thwarted each time.

A superb long range cross by Pat Locke to Boyle was cleared off the line by the visiting goalkeeper, then a Duncan Preedy shot which resulted from a goalkeeping error was only just blocked in time.

A Boyle cross 12 minutes in only just skimmed the goal-line, and a resulting diving header from George James was just deflected off the crossbar.

Advancing too far forward from the line almost proved costly to the Mercia goalkeeper in the 17th minute, when he was nearly chipped by Preedy.

A Mercia strike was confidently stopped by Town keeper Luke Ledbury 30 minutes in, while an injured Preedy was taken off for Pete Jeynes moments later.

The latter quickly made his presence felt by heading away a corner and following it up with a turn of speed with the ball upfield, before being foiled by a visting defender.

A collision between Sam Dixon and a Mercia player resulted in an injury worry for the Ledbury midfielder, but he was able to return the action shortly afterwards.

A Mercia corner was solidly punched away by Luke Ledbury, before James just couldn’t quite connect with the ball to put the hosts in a more advantageous position on the stroke of half-time.

Town again had many chances throughout the second period, but just couldn’t seem to make the breakthrough.

Boyle and Locke each had chances for the hosts.

Jeynes was tripped up by a Mercia defender in the 58th minute before delivering a cross to George James in the area, but was denied by a Mercia defender.

Ledbury did much to stop Mercia from equalising over the next five minutes, with a great save from a Mercia free-kick from the centre of the field and another stop from a long range shot moments later.

Ledbury’s failure to get that elusive second goal proved fatal as a melee in the box resulted in Mercia’s Jenkins firing home a last-minute equaliser.