LEOMINSTER bounced back to form in the Gerrard West of England and South Wales League North Division 1 with an excellent 4-1 home victory over previously unbeaten Somerset Gryphons.

The North Herefordshire side matched Gryphons in the tight opening stages before taking the lead on the half-hour.

Matt Cooke raced down the left and Maurice Hazleman arrived in front of the goalkeeper to deflect home his cross.

Leominster extended their lead straight from the second-half push-back when a fine passing movement involving Josh Watkins and Rob Goodman took the ball the length of the field before Cooke fired home.

Gryphons quickly pulled a goal back but Leominster, with skipper and man-of-the-match John Davis marshalling his defence superbly, experienced few difficulties and were soon back in control.

From a short corner, the Gryphons goalkeeper blocked a shot from Watkins and Dave Harvey netted from close range. Then Goodman rounded off the win with a good strike from another short corner.

Hereford are still struggling to get their Premier 3 season underway and lost for the fifth time in a row when they went down 3-2 at home to Plympton Grammar School Old Boys.

The visitors took the lead in a close first-half but Hereford skipper Colin Amos levelled the scores following a short corner before the turn-around.

Hereford's hopes of gaining something from the match evaporated inside the first five minutes of the second period, however, when PGSOB scored twice.

The city club rallied well and Amos succeeded in reducing arrears but they were unable to secure a point.

Hereford 3rd moved up into fourth place in Herefordshire & Gloucestershire 1 with a 2-1 win over bottom-club Gloucester 4th.

Good saves from goalkeeper Chris Byrne and some timely tackles from Will Sewell kept Herefordshire in the game in the early stages but, midway through the first-half, Stuart Goodarzi's strike was deflected to Will Stevens who fired home.

Gloucester were back on level terms by half-time, though, when a penalty corner saw the ball finish up in the roof of the net.

There were chances at both ends at the start of the second period but it was Hereford who took one of theirs when Tim Miller's pass was deflected home by Stuart Volpe.

Gloucester forced a series of corners in the final stages but good defending from Geoff Furneaux, Chris Lewis and Mike Bates kept them at bay.

Leominster 2nd suffered mixed fortunes with a fine 2-1 away win over previously-unbeaten Newent 2nd followed by a 3-1 reverse against Hereford 2nd.

Newent took the lead in the first period but Leominster levelled when James Fox fired home a rebound from the goalkeeper following a short corner.

Ten minutes from the end, Leominster sealed the win when Neil Stokes found the net with a fine strike from a free-hit just outside the D.

Fox was on target again to give Leominster the lead at Hereford from a free-hit.

But the home side were back on terms within five minutes and went on to lead 2-1 at the interval before sealing their win with a further goal in the second period.

Ross remain in mid-table in Herefordshire & Gloucestershire 2 after being held 3-3 at home by Winchcombe.

The disciplined visitors had much the better of the first period and it was a surprise that they were only one goal to the good at the turn-around.

Ross continued to struggle at the start of the second period but Adrian Williams eventually squeezed the ball past the talented Winchcombe goalkeeper to level the scores.

The visitors quickly went back in front only for skipper Andy Ridgway to equalise and the pattern continued with Winchcombe regaining the lead again before Williams found the net for his second in the closing stages.