LUDLOW Colts dished out six of the best for the second time in eight days to move up to ninth in the Herefordshire Division One.

After beating Holme Lacy Reserves 6-2, Colts cruised to a 6-1 victory over rock-bottom Orleton Reserves who were consigned to a 13th straight league defeat in the process.

And like their previous outing, Ludlow’s success was set in motion early on. Dan Griffiths scored the first from close range within two minutes and Dan Crowther converted from Scott Guilbert’s through ball before the five-minute mark.

Colts went for the throat and at times left themselves short at the back but man-of-the-match Simon Bull worked hard to protect keeper Kieron Roche.

The third came from a deep Sol Barker cross that found Kieran Edwards to place a shot into the bottom corner and all but seal the spoils.

Will McNinch netted from a Charlie Gould to make it 4-0 at half-time and although Ludlow looked set for a first clean sheet of the season, a dubious penalty was converted by Orleton’s Dan Spear in the second half.

Undeterred, Ludlow maintained their pressure with Crowther completing his hat-trick courtesy of well-taken strikes in the 62nd and 67th minutes.

Church Stretton top the tree in the Mercian League Premier Division this Christmas after coming back from behind to beat title-rivals Madeley Sports 2-1. The only top-flight match to be played on Saturday was decided by Dean Richards and Sean Gough.

The rest of the region’s Mercian League clubs were either without a fixture or had their scheduled matches postponed.

Across the border, Bishop’s Castle remain in unstoppable form having switched to the Montgomeryshire Amateur League Division Two.

Niall Thomas, Greg Wainwright and man-of-the-match Ben Phillips scored in a 3-0 home victory over Abermule Reserves to make it six league wins out of six in their new surroundings.