Top three win as race for the title hots up

12:53pm Thursday 28th February 2008

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THE top three sides in the Hereford Times Herefordshire League Premier Division all won on Saturday.

Sutton United were pushed all the way at the County Ground by a lively young Lads Club side, before a last-minute goal gave the leaders a slightly flattering 3-0 win.

Roy Jordan met a corner at the near post to head the villagers in front after 20 minutes. Chris Gundy had a header cleared as the home side threatened the United defence.

The leaders stretched their lead and, once again, it came from a corner. The home defence failed to clear the ball and Jordan was on hand to turn it home.

Both sides created chances in the second half. Mike Olive and Josh Pugh had efforts blocked and the United keeper made a brave save to deny Ryan Daw. Stewart New tapped in with the final kick of the match.

Ewyas Harold were involved in a goal feast at home to a weakened Wellington Rangers side, with Rob Chandler firing in a hat-trick as they ran out 7-3 winners.

The home side seized the initiative with two goals in the first five minutes. John Ferneyhough beat two players and set up Nathan Scott for the first and then Matt Smalley threaded the ball through for Matt Pitt to score the second.

There was little respite for the Rangers defence and soon after, Chandler thumped in the third after good work by Scott. Mike Mullinger converted a Dave Price cross to pull a goal back, but then Pitt scored his second to leave the half time score 4-1.

Chandler grabbed his second from a rebound to put the home side out of sight. Wellington battled on against the odds and Mike Cheasley pulled a goal back.

Danny Johns played in Ferneyhough who went around the keeper to score, Price converted a penalty for Rangers and Chandler rounded off a pulsating performance with his third goal, after Johns had beaten three players to create the chance.

Despite producing a below-par performance, third-placed Colwall Rangers overcame a young visiting Westfields Reserves side 2-1. Played in difficult windy conditions, the game never reached any great heights.

Both sides gave the ball away far too cheaply and Rangers attempted to shoot from long distance in the first half, giving Adam Jones in the Reserves goal few problems. When they did test him in the second half, he made a couple of fine saves, bravely blocking Jamie Welch and Dan Herbert's close-range efforts.

Westfields opened the scoring midway through the first half, Craig Clueit headed the ball into his own net in attempting to clear Johnny Williams' header from a corner.

A rare free flowing movement left Welch to slip the ball past Jones for the equaliser ten minutes later. Tim Rutherford poked in the winner on the hour mark.

Westfields Reserves suffered another 2-1 reverse when they played Bartestree at allpay.park in a midweek match. They looked to be heading for a welcome point until Darren Andrews came up with the winner in the final minute.

Played in unfavourable conditions, the match was a scrappy affair with Wes Owen cancelling out an earlier goal for the visitors, to send the sides in all-square at the turnaround.

Bromyard Town Reserves completed a 6-0 home win against Kington Town, but the final whistle didn't signal the end of the problems for the visitors.

Player/manager Robbie Gore tendered his resignation, and a couple of the players indicated they would join him. Chairman Martin Powell, who was away with the Reserves on the day, will take over the duties.

Powell was disappointed, as he felt that apart from the last couple of games, the side was in a reasonable shape and occupying a top-five position.

He is looking to stabilise the side in mid-table for the rest of this season and then to take stock from there.

The game itself started with Kington in the ascendancy, creating and missing a number of chances. The wheels came off after this, with the home side three goals up by the break, going on to double their tally in the second period.

Leominster Town eased themselves out of the relegation zone with a 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Hinton at Bridge Street.

Both sides created numerous chances, but struggled to find the target. The sides had to wait 25 minutes for the first goal, a speculative lob from Dan George sailing into the net. John Morris put the sides level soon after, when he scrambled the ball home.

Paul Jones put the Town back in front, he side-footed the ball in after Frank Becke picked him out. Soon after the resumption Darren Birch played the ball to Steve Gosling, and he tied the score once again.

The home side had a player sent off, but went back in front through George. The game ended with ten playing nine, after each side had a player dismissed in the same incident.

Ledbury Town Reserves kept their recent good run going with a 6-0 win at Fownhope, and Pegasus Reserves recorded a 2-0 victory against Bartestree at Old School Lane in the other game. The midweek fixture between Wellington Rangers and Sutton United was called off due to frost.